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PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^^jf 


Presented   by^tSvT. '2)r<So\  C7\,  Cr^r\Q\c7\\\ 


BV  4501  .M268  1897 
Macgregor,  G.  H.  C.  1864- 

1900. 
The  Christian's  aspirations 


3/  /^//J 


What  is  Worth  While  Series, 


AFTER    COLLEGE,     WHAT?      For  Girls.      By  Mrs. 

Helen  E.  Starrett. 
ART  OF   LIVING   (THE).     Bv  F.  Emory  Lyon. 
BLESSING  OF  CHEERFULNESS.    J.  R.  Miller,  D.D. 
BY  THE  STILL  WATERS.     By  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.D. 
CHILDREN'S  WING  (THE).      By  Elizabeth  Glover. 
CHRIST-FILLED   LIFE    (THE).     By  C.  C.  Hall,  D.D. 
CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.ByRev.G.H.C.Macgregor. 
CONFLICTING   DUTIES.     By  E.  S.  Elliott. 
CULTURE  AND  REFORM.     By  Anna  R.  Brown,  Ph.D. 
DO   WE   BELIEVE   IT?     By  E.  S.  Elliott. 
EXPECTATION    CORNER.      By  E.  S.  Elliott. 
FAMILY   MANNERS.     By  Elizabeth  Glover. 
GENTLE   HEART   (A).      By  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.D. 
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GIVING  WHAT  WE  HAVE.     By  Anna  R.  Brown,  Ph.D. 
GOLDEN  RULE  IN    BUSINESS.     By  Rev.  C.  F.  Dole. 
HAPPY   LIFE   (THE).      By  Charles  W.  Eliott,  LL.D. 
HEAVENLY  RECOGNITION.  T.  DeWitt  Talmage,D.D. 
J.    COLE.     By  Emma  Gellibrand. 

JESSICA'S   FIRST    PRAYER.      By  Hesba  Stretton. 
KING   OF  THE   GOLDEN    RIVER.     By  John  Ruskin. 
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TWO   PILGRIMS   (THE).      By  Count  Lyof  N.  Tolstoi. 
VICTORY  OF  OUR   FAITII.     By  Anna  R.  Brown,  Ph.D. 
WHAT  IS  WORTH  WHILE?    By  Anna  R.  Brown,  Ph.D. 
WHAT   MEN    LIVE    BY.     By  Count  Lvof  N.  Tolstoi. 
WHEN  THE  KING  COMES  TO  HIS  OWN.     Elliott. 
WHEREFORE,  O   GOD  ?     By  the  Rev.  C.  B.  Herbert. 
WHERE    LOVE  IS,  THERE   GOD  IS  ALSO.     By  L. 

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YOUNG  MEN  :  Faults  and  Ideals.  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.D. 


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CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS 


BY 


y 

THE  REV.  G.  H.  C.  MACGREGOR,  M.A. 

AUTHOR  OF    "A   HOLY   LIFE,"   "  PRAYING  TO 
THE  HOLY  GHOST,"  ETC. 


NEW  YORK :   46  East  14TH  Street 

THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  <&  COMPANY 

BOSTON :   100  Purchase  Street 


Copyright,  1897, 
By  T.  Y.  CROWELL  &  CO. 


J.  S.  Gushing  &  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith 
Norwood  Mass.  U.S.A. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

After  the  Vision  of  God 5 

CHAPTER  II. 
After  the  Friendship  of  God 9 

CHAPTER  III. 
After  Walking  with  God 13 

CHAPTER  IV. 
After  Delight  in  God's  Will 16 

CHAPTER  V. 
After  Love  of  God's  Word 20 

CHAPTER  VI. 
After  Power  in  Prayer 25 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

After  the  Fire  of  Love 29 

3 


4  CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

faok 

After  a  Contented  Spirit 34 


CHAPTER  IX. 
After  Power  to  Redeem  the  Time 37 

CHAPTER  X. 
After  a  Sense  of  Divine  Guidance 41 

CHAPTER  XI. 
After  the  Power  to  Wait 46 

CHAPTER  XII. 
After  a  Complete  Life      .......      49 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS, 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   ASPIRATION    AFTER   THE   VISION    OF    GOD. 

"  And  lie  said,  'I  beseech  Thee,  show  me  Thy  glory '  "  (Exod. 
xxxiii.  18). 

This  is  the  highest  aspiration  of  the  human  soul. 
Higher  than  this  man  cannot  get.  All  that  we  long  for 
is  summed  up  in  the  vision  of  God.  When  that  vision 
in  unclouded  splendor  breaks  on  a  man's  soul,  he  is 
already  in  heaven. 

But  this  aspiration,  although  the  highest  aspiration  of 
the  soul,  is  found  in  the  lowest  of  men.  Wherever  a 
man  is  found,  there  is  a  being  within  whom  there  is  a 
simply  unappeasable  thirst  foi  God.  This  thirst  is  in- 
eradicable, being  an  original  attribute  of  the  soul  made 
in  the  image  of  God. 

In  the  unconverted,  this  longing  for  God,  although 
present,  is  covered  up.  The  affections  of  the  unsaved 
cling  round  the  things  of  earth.  But  in  the  regenerate, 
the  longing  for  God  simply  flames  forth.  When  God 
quickens  a  soul,  and  reveals  Himself  to  it  in  any  meas- 
ure. He  awakens  in  it  an  unquenchable  longing  for  fur- 
ther revelation.  The  soul  which  has  once  seen  God, 
yearns  for  fuller  vision;  for  vision  means  knowledge, 
and  knowledge  means  bliss. 

6 


6  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

Of  this  longing  for  the  vision  of  God,  we  have  many 
examples  in  Scrii3ture.  Look  at  Moses.  Here  was  a 
man  to  whom  God  had  given  everything  a  man  could 
desire.  He  had  wisdom,  knowledge,  riches,  and  power. 
He  had  favor  with  God  and  man.  But  all  that  could 
not  satisfy  him.  The  cry  of  his  life  was,  "I  beseech 
Thee,  show  me  Thy  glory." 

Or  take  the  case  of  Job.  The  vision  which  Moses  felt 
was  necessary  for  wo7^k,  Job  felt  was  needful  for  suffering. 
The  whole  of  that  wonderful  book  is  a  cry  for  God,  a  cry 
which  is  only  satisfied  when  Job  can  say,  "  Now  my  eye 
seeth  Thee."  Or  take  the  book  of  Psalms.  The  deepest 
cry  of  that  is  the  cry  for  the  vision  of  God.  The  writer 
of  the  sixty-third  Psalm  expresses  the  feelings  of  all 
when  he  says :  "  My  soul  thirsteth  for  Thee,  my  flesh 
longeth  for  Thee  in  a  dry  land  where  no  water  is ;  to  see 
Thy  power  and  Thy  glory,  so  as  I  have  seen  Thee  in  the 
sanctuary." 

This  vision  of  God  after  which  the  soul  aspires  is 
threefold :  — 

I.  It  is  a  vision  of  the  Divine  Majesty.  This  was  what 
God  granted  to  Job.  He  made  His  power  to  pass 
before  Job,  showing  Him  the  Divine  strength  as  it  is 
manifested  in  the  works  of  creation  until  the  soul  of  the 
patriarch  was  overwhelmed  (Job  xlii.  5). 

II.  It  is  a  vision  of  the  Divine  Holiness.  This  was 
what  God  granted  to  Isaiah.  As  he  beheld  the  Lord 
high  and  lifted  up,  and  the  dazzling  purity  of  God 
flashed  in  upon  his  soul,  there  burst  from  him  the  cry ; 
"  Woe  is  me,  for  I  am  undone,  for  I  am  a  man  of  un- 
clean lips,  and  dwell  among  a  people  of  unclean  lips, 
for  my  eyes  have  seen  the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts" 
(Isa.  vi.  5). 


THE  CniilSTIAN'S  ASPIliATIONS.  7 

III.  It  is  a  vision  of  the  Divine  Love.  This  was  what 
God  granted  to  Moses.  You  remember  that  when  Moses 
cried,  "  I  beseech  Thee,  show  me  Thy  glory,"  the  reply 
of  the  Lord  was,  "I  will  make  all  My  goodness  pass 
before  thee."  The  glory  that  Moses  saw  was  the  glory 
of  the  Divine  love. 

This,  then,  is  the  vision  of  God  for  which  all  Christian 
hearts  are  longing. 

Now,  THIS  ASPIRATION  OF  THE  SOUL  IS  ONE  WHICH  GOD 
WILL  CERTAINLY  SATISFY. 

God  sometimes  hides  Himself ;  but  to  the  soul  who  is 
patient  He  will  reveal  Himself  at  last.  He  has  not  said 
to  any  one,  Seek  ye  My  face  in  vain.  That  He  will  reveal 
Himself,  He  gave  us  the  assurance  when  He  said,  "  Look 
unto  Me,  and  be  ye  saved." 

It  was  that  He  might  satisfy  this  longing  of  the  soul 
of  man  that  He  gave  Jesus  to  the  world.  That  men 
might  see  God  it  was  needful  that  God  should  become 
incarnate,  "No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time;  the 
Only  Begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
He  hath  declared  Him."  Now,  He  says,  "  He  that  hath 
seen  Me  hath  seen  the  Father,"  and  calls  to  us,  "  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God." 

But  if  we  would  see  God,  there  are  certain  conditions 
to  which  we  must  conform.     They  are  these :  — 

I.  We  must  be  in  the  cleft  of  the  Bock. 

It  was  only  after  being  safely  hidden  there,  that 
Moses  dared  look  upon  God.  Until  we  are  reconciled  to 
God  in  Jesus  Christ  the  vision  of  God  is  impossible. 
"  The  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them 
that  believe  not."  It  is  eyes  which  have  been  touched 
with  the  precious  blood,  that  alone  see  God. 

II.  We  must  look  for  God  only  iyi  Jesus  Christ. 


8  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

This  is  not  an  unnecessary  rule.  There  are  some  most 
devout  people  who  seem  to  use  Jesus  Christ  as  a  means 
for  getting  to  the  Father,  but  who  seem  to  think  that 
this  getting  to  the  Father  will  take  them  past,  and  away 
from  the  Son.  This  has  been  the  mistake  of  mystics  in 
all  ages.  Those  who  fall  into  it  show  that  they  have 
never  properly  grasped  the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures 
about  the  Deity  of  Jesus.  The  vision  of  God  that 
we  long  for  is  the  vision  of  the  glory  of  Jesus.  We 
are  to  see  the  Glory  of  God  in  "the  face  of  Christ 
Jesus." 

III.    Our  eyes  must  be  ever  towards  the  Lord. 

Just  as  upon  the  eye  that  is  steadfastly  directed  towards 
any  part  of  the  heavens,  there  breaks  the  vision  of  stars 
before  unseen ;  just  as  upon  the  sensitive  plate  which  is 
long  exposed,  there  are  registered  stars,  at  first  quite  in- 
visible even  to  it,  so  to  the  soul  whose  gaze  is  unceas- 
ingly directed  toward  God,  there  is  granted  a  vision  of 
His  glory,  of  which  the  soul  who  has  not  learned  to  wait 
on  God  can  know  nothing. 

But  if  these  conditions  are  fulfilled,  then  the  asj)ira- 
tion  of  the  soul  will  be  satisfied.  The  glory  of  the  Lord 
will  be  revealed.     We  shall  see  it,  and  adore. 

And  what  will  be  the  effect  on  our  souls?  It  will  be 
fivefold ;  — 

(1)  There  will  be  self-condemnation.  This  is  the  effect 
of  the  vision  of  the  Divine  Majesty.  When,  like  Job, 
we  see  the  majesty  of  God,  we  abhor  ourselves,  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes. 

(2)  There  will  be  self -abhorrence.  This  is  the  effect  of 
the  vision  of  the  Divine  Holiness.  When  there  is  granted 
to  us  the  vision  of  God,  we  shall  be  smitten  to  the  ground, 
as  Isaiah  was. 


TUE  CIimSTIAN ' S  ASPIRATIONS.  9 

(3)  There  will  be  self-cibasement.  This  is  the  effect  of 
the  vision  of  the  Divine  Love.  When,  like  Moses, 
we  see  the  glory  of  God,  we  shall  bow  the  head  and 
worship. 

(4)  There  will  be  transfiguration.  As  we  behold  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  we  shall  be  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory,  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

(5)  There  will  be  satisfaction.  Joy  there  will  be  at 
once,  with  increasing  knowledge,  increasing  joy,  and  at 
last  the  beatific  vision.  "  As  for  me,  I  will  behold  Thy 
face  in  righteousness  ;  I  shall  be  satisfied,  when  I  awake, 
with  Thy  likeness." 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   ASPIRATION    AFTER   THE    FRIENDSHIP   OF    GOD. 

*'  He  was  called  the  Friend  of  God"  (Jas.  ii.  23). 

The  praises  of  Friendship  have  been  sung  in  all  ages 
of  the  world.  In  prose  and  poetry,  its  virtues  have  been 
extolled.  Consequently,  the  definitions  of  it  are  innu- 
merable.    At  one  or  two  of  these  we  may  now  look. 

Plato  says:  "Friendship  is,  strictly  speaking,  recip- 
rocal benevolence,  which  inclines  each  party  to  be  solici- 
tous for  the  welfare  of  the  other,  as  for  his  own.  This 
quality  of  affection  is  created  and  preserved  by  a  simi- 
larity of  disposition  and  manner." 

Fleming  says  :  "  Friendship  is  the  mutual  esteem  and 
regard  cherished  by  kindred  minds;  often  begun,  and 
always  cemented,  by  the  interchange  of  good  offices." 

Bishop  Martensen  says:  "Friendship  is  a  union  be- 
tween individuals,  for  mutual  help  and  strength,  founded 
not  on  respect  alone,  but  on  sympathy." 


10  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIBATIONS, 

rriendsliip  is  a  want  of  human  nature ;  and  tlie  long- 
ing for  friendship,  which  is  universal,  is  the  expression 
of  a  deep  need  of  the  human  soul. 

There  are,  in  particular,  four  gi^eat  evils  which  afflict 
humanity,  a  refuge  from  which  is  sought  in  friendship. 

(1)  The  first  of  these  is  Loneliness.  Man  is  a  social 
being,  and  protests  against  being  left  alone.  Loneliness 
is  one  of  the  bitterest  trials  of  life.  All  of  us  know  that 
the  worst  kind  of  imprisonment  is  solitary  confinement. 
Those  who  are  subjected  to  it  for  any  long  period  invari- 
ably go  mad.  From  the  bitterness  of  loneliness,  refuge 
is  sought  in  the  companionship  of  friends. 

(2)  The  second  evil  is  Sorrow.  When  a  heavy  bereave- 
ment falls  on  us,  when  a  sore  sickness  distresses  us, 
there  is  awakened  in  the  human  heart  an  inappeasable 
longing  for  sympathy.  We  want  to  tell  our  griefs  to 
some  one,  in  whose  heart  they  will  awaken  a  sympathetic 
grief.  But  sympathy  can  only  be  found  in  the  heart  of 
a  friend. 

(3)  The  third  evil  is  Perplexity.  Life  is  tangled  and 
difficult.  At  times  we  are  panic-stricken  by  our  difficul- 
ties. We  know  not  how  to  act,  the  perplexity  is  mad- 
dening, and  we  long  for  advice.  We  long  to  have  some 
one  to  whom  we  can  submit  our  case,  and  whom  we  can 
trust  to  give  us  the  aid  of  his  wisdom.  But  this  we  can 
find  only  in  a  friend. 

(4)  The  fourth  evil  is  Weakness.  At  times  dangers 
will  threaten  us  which  we  cannot  avoid,  and  blows  will 
fall  which  quite  disable  us.  Then  we  need  more  than 
advice  or  sympathy ;  we  need  succor,  and  only  from  our 
friends  can  we  get  it. 

These  are  the  evils,  great  and  terrible,  for  which 
friendship  supplies  the  remedy.     A  friend's  companion- 


TEE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  11 

sliip  will  remove  loneliness;  a  friend's  sympathy  will 
lighten  sorrow ;  a  friend's  advice  will  remove  perplexity  ; 
and,  ofttimes,  a  friend's  succor  will  save  us  from  ruin. 

But,  while  human  friendship  can  do  so  much,  there 
constantly  arise  situations  in  life  where  the  best  of 
earthly  friends  fail.  By  the  call  of  duty,  or  by  death, 
our  friends  may  be  removed  from  us,  and  we  be  deprived 
of  their  companionship  ;  sorrows  may  fall  on  us  too  deej) 
for  them  to  fathom,  and  their  sympathy  be  utterly 
vain ;  perplexities  may  arise  which  they  are  powerless  to 
unravel,  and  difficulties  may  come  in  presence  of  which 
they  are  as  weak  as  ourselves. 

So  there  arises  a  longing  for  a  companionship  that 
will  never  be  broken,  for  a  sympathy  that  will  never 
misunderstand,  for  a  wisdom  that  will  never  be  baffled, 
for  a  strength  that  will  never  fail.  This  longing  is  the 
cry  of  the  human  heart  for  the  friendship  of  God. 

This  longing,  which  is  found  in  all  hearts,  becomes 
perfectly  definite  and  conscious  in  the  heart  of  the 
Christian.  Now,  what  is  the  path  which  leads  to  the 
friendship  of  God? 

We  shall  be  able  to  answer  this  question  by  noticing 
what  are  the  conditions  of  any  true  friendship. 

(1)  In  order  to  friendship  there  must  be  community  of 
nature.  It  is  only  by  a  use  of  metaphor  that  we  speak 
of  the  dog  as  the  friend  of  man.  Friendship  implies  kin- 
ship of  nature.  Therefore,  if  we  would  be  the  friends  of 
God,  we  must  become  ^'  partakers  of  the  Divine  nature." 
And  this  we  can  only  become  through  being  born 
again. 

(2)  There  must  be  community  of  feeling.  A  man  may 
love  those  who  do  not  love  him,  but  friendship  is  mutual. 
1/  we  are  to  be  the  friends  of  God,  God's  love  to  us 


12  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIBATIONS, 

must  be  met  by  a  responsive  love.  But  tliis  implies 
reconciliation.  For  we  do  not  naturally  love  God.  We 
are  aliens  and  enemies  in  our  minds  by  wicked  works. 
It  is  at  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ,  where  He  has  recon- 
ciled all  things  unto  Himself,  that  the  sinful  soul  enters 
on  the  friendship  of  God. 

(3)  There  must  be  perfect  tmst.  Where  there  is  sus- 
picion friendship  cannot  live.  Unless  we  are  ready  to 
believe  that  our  God  will  never  do  for  us  less  than  the 
very  best,  the  true  bliss  of  His  friendship  cannot  be 
ours. 

(4)  There  must  be  ohedieyice.  This  is  not  necessary 
for  an  earthly  friendship,  but  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  the  soul  that  would  know  the  friendship  of  God. 
Jesus  Christ  has  told  us  quite  distinctly :  "  Ye  are  My 
friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you  "  (John  xv. 
14). 

These,  then,  are  the  conditions  of  the  Divine  friend- 
ship. If  we  fulfil  them,  how  bright  the  glory  that  will 
burst  upon  our  souls  !  There  will  be  given  to  us  a  com- 
panionship which  will  never  be  broken,  a  sympathy 
which  will  never  fail,  a  wisdom  to  which  all  things  are 
clear,  and  a  strength  to  which  all  things  are  easy. 

But,  in  addition  to  these  blessings,  there  are  others 
into  which  the  Divine  friendship  introduces  us.  These 
we  can  only  mention  in  a  word. 

(a)  There  is  a  knoioledge  of  the  Divine  counsels  (Gen. 
xviii.  17 ;  John  xv.  15).  When  we  become  the  friends 
of  God,  He  reveals  to  us  the  things  which  He  is  about 
to  do. 

(6)  There  is  a  vision  of  the  Divine  glory  (Exod.  xxxiii. 
17). 

(c)  There  is  a  share  in  the  Divine  work;  and,  finally, 


TUB  CURISTtAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  13 

(cZ)  There  is  a  likeness  to  the  Divine  inrson.  The  vision 
of  God  in  glory  is  the  climax  of  spiritual  bliss.  And 
we  are  told  we  shall  be  like  Him,  when  we  see  Him  as 
He  is. 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE   ASPIRATION   AFTER   WALKING  WITH   GOD. 

*♦  Enoch  walked  with  God"  (Gen.  v.  24). 

This  aspiration  of  the  soul  is  one  which  naturally  fol- 
lows that  which  we  last  considered.  It  is  he  who  knows 
something  of  the  friendship  of  God,  who  aspires  to  walk 
with  God.  Tor  walking  with  God  is  one  of  the  most 
blessed  characteristics  of  the  life  of  friendship. 

Of  only  three  of  the  Old  Testament  saints  is  it  expressly 
said  that  they  walked  with  God.  But  though  the  phrase 
is  only  used  of  Enoch,  Noah,  and  Levi,  the  experience 
was  by  no  means  confined  to  them.  Abraham  knew  what 
it  was  to  walk  with  God,  and  it  was  with  God  beside  him 
that  he  made  his  way  from  XJr  of  the  Chaldees  to  the 
land  of  the  promise.  Moses  knew  this  experience,  and 
it  was  the  presence  of  God  with  him  that  nerved  him  for 
the  almost  superhuman  task  to  which  he  was  called. 
David  knew  it,  and  it  was  with  God  beside  him  that  he 
rose  to  the  throne  of  Israel.  And  the  experience  which 
these  enjoyed  has  been  the  experiences  of  countless 
thousands  of  men  and  women  through  all  the  ages. 

But  what  is  meant  by  walking  with  God  ?  It  is  not 
an  act,  nor  yet  a  series  of  acts,  but  a  condition  of  life 
consistently  maintained  through  years.  Enoch,  we  are 
told,  walked  with  God  three  hundred  years.  Walking 
with  God  was  no  exceptional  experience  with  him.     It 


14  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIBATIONS. 

was  tlie  normal  condition  of  his  life.  So  it  should  be 
with  us.  Our  whole  life,  the  daily  life  which  is  apt  to 
be  so  monotonous,  is  meant  to  be  lived  in  quiet  calm 
fellowship  with  God.  Life  is  not  made  up  of  rapture. 
Eapturous  experiences  can  only  be  occasional.  But  in 
the  daily  round  of  life  we  are  meant  to  walk  with  God.'. 

If  you  ask  me  what  is  the  chief  characteristic  of  the 
man  who  is  walking  with  God,  I  reply,  his  continual 
consciousness  of  God.  It  is  in  this  that  the  heart  of  the 
matter  consists.  Of  the  man  who  walks  with  God  it 
may  be  said  that  the  thought  of  God  is  never  out  of 
his  mind.  He  is  always  conscious  of  God,  or  I  would 
prefer  to  say  sub-conscious.  He  lives  in  God  as  in  the 
atmosphere. 

But  how  is  this  experience  to  be  ours  ? 

This  walk,  like  all  walks,  must  have  a  Starting 
Point,  a  Direction,  and  a  Goal.  At  these  we  shall 
briefly  look. 

I.   The  Starting  Point  is  the  Cross. 

Pellowship  with  God  for  sinners  is  possible  only  on 
the  basis  of  atonement.  It  is  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  that 
we  have  access  to  the  presence  of  God.  How  wonderful 
it  is  to  turn  to  the  Scriptures  to  see  what  we  owe  to  the 
blood.  In  Exodus,  Moses  tells  us  of  deliverance  through 
the  blood  (Exod.  xii.  13);  in  the  Pauline  Epistles  we 
read  of  pardon,  justification,  peace,  access  through  the 
blood.  Peter  tells  us  of  redemption,  John  of  cleansing, 
the  Apocalypse  of  victory,  and  all  through  the  blood. 
He  who  is  not  washed  in  the  blood  will  never  walk  with 
God,  and  the  walk  cannot  be  continued  if  for  a  moment 
the  power  of  the  blood  is  forgotten.  God  waits  at  the 
cross  to  meet  the  sinner,  and  from  that  point  only  can 
the  walk  with  God  begin. 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  15 

II.  The  Direction  is  the  Line  of  the  Will  of  God. 
The  path  in   which  we  walk  with   God  is  the  path 

of  God's  commandments.  The  Christian's  desire  must 
never  be  that  God  should  go  his  way,  but  ever  that  he 
should  go  God's  way.  The  Christian  should  desire,  not 
so  much  always  to  have  God  with  him,  as  always  to  be 
with  God.  It  is  most  instructive  to  see  how  intense  this 
desire  was  in  the  heart  of  the  Psalmist.  In  Psalm  after 
Psalm  we  have  the  cry,  "  Teach  me  Thy  way,"  "  Make 
me  to  run  in  the  path  of  Thy  commandments,  for  I  de- 
light therein."  God  keeps  ever  in  the  line  of  His  will, 
and  if  we  would  walk  with  Him,  we  must  keep  there 
also.  "We  lose  God  when  we  gain  our  own  way.  How 
true  this  is,  the  histories  of  Abraham  and  Balaam  teach  us. 

III.  The  Goal  of  the  Walk  is  a  Life  which  mat 
be  described  as  having  none  of  self,  and  all  of 
God. 

This  is  beautifully  brought  out  in  the  story  of  Enoch. 
There  we  read  that  ^^  Enoch  walked  with  God,  and  icas 
not."  By  the  consciousness  of  God,  the  consciousness  of 
self  is  gradually  extinguished.  That  death  to  self,  for 
which  so  many  long,  is  a  consequence  of  fellowship  with 
God.  When  we  walk  with  God,  our  life  becomes  one  of 
which  we  can  say,  "  It  is  not  I  that  live ;  but  Christ  liveth 
in  me."  Nothing  but  the  continual  consciousness  of  God 
will  effect  this.  It  is  something  brought  about  not  by 
effort  and  strain,  but  by  restful  trust.  And  what  a  change 
it  makes  !  The  "  I "  hot-tempered,  proud,  foolish,  dis- 
obedient, deceived,  envious,  hateful  and  hating  others, 
gives  place  to  the  "  Christ "  meek,  lowly,  obedient,  self- 
denying,  and  loving.     So  we  die  to  self,  and  live  to  God. 

But  in  the  story  of  Enoch,  we  read  that  he  was  not, 
"  for  God  took  him."     This  reminds  us  that  the  God  who 


16  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

led  him  out  of  a  life  the  centre  of  which  was  self,  led 
him  into  a  life  of  joy  and  courage  and  unbroken  peace. 
Thus  he  was  fitted  for  that  which  was  the  crown  of  his 
life,  his  translation  into  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

For  us  who  live  so  far  down  the  stream  of  time  how 
great  the  significance  of  this  fact !  It  shows  us  that  the 
life  that  walks  with  God  is  a  life,  I  do  not  say  ready  for 
death,  but  ready  for  translation.  Are  you  walking  with 
God  ?  Then  you  also,  like  Enoch,  are  ready  to  be  trans- 
lated. Of  how  many  of  us  is  this  true  ?  How  many  of 
us  are  ready  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  ?  It  is  near  us 
now,  and  coming  nearer  every  day.  May  God  help  us 
all  so  to  walk  with  Him  that  we  shall  look  for  and 
hasten  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord,  and  to  His  promise, 
"Behold,  I  come  quickly,"  answer  with  the  prayer, 
*^  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus." 


CHAPTEE  ly. 

THE   ASPIRATION   AFTER   DELIGHT   IN   GOD's    WILL. 

" I  dehglit  to  do  Thy  will,  0  my  God"  (Psalms  xl.  8). 

"  It  is  very  hard,  but  I  suppose  I  must  put  up  with  it, 
seeing  it  is  the  will  of  God."  This  is  the  language  which 
is  only  too  frequently  heard  on  the  lips  of  God's  children. 
If  we  have  not  all  used  it,  we  have  all  had  the  feelings 
which  the  words  express.  It  is  because  we  feel  that  we 
ought  to  rejoice  in  God's  will,  yet  know  that  we  do  not 
rejoice  in  it,  that  the  prayer  for  delight  in  the  will  of 
God  is  so  frequently  and  earnestly  offered. 

That  a  Christian  should  not  rejoice  in  his  Father's  will 


THE  CUEISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  17 

is  sad ;  but  it  is  hardly  to  be  wondered  at.  God  is  so 
mysterious.  He  is  constantly  doing  things  which  seem 
arbitrary,  and  He  rarely  explains  Himself. 

His  delays  are  mysterious  —  at  times,  maddening.  He 
lets  our  Lazarus  die  before  our  eyes,  when  it  seems  to  us 
that  if  He  had  hastened  but  a  little  He  might  have  saved 
us  from  our  sorrow.  We  cry  in  our  pain,  "  Lord,  if  Thou 
hadst  been  here,  our  brother  had  not  died '' ;  but  Jesus 
comes  not  to  raise  our  Lazarus,  and  as  we  weep  over  our 
dead  we  say  sadly,  "  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done." 

Then  the  movements  of  God  are  as  mysterious  as  His 
delays.  How  often  when  we  thought  we  had  come  to 
a  quiet  resting-place.  He  has  stirred  us  up,  and  sent  us 
out  to  meet  pain  and  sorrow. 

It  is  these  things,  and  things  like  them,  that  make  us 
feel  that  we  do  not  delight  in  God's  will,  and  make  us 
aspire  so  earnestly  after  true  joy  in  it.  Now  let  us  lay 
to  heart,  this  is  an  aspiration  wJiich  may  he  fulfilled.  It  is 
possible  for  us  to  delight  in  the  will  of  God.  It  is  possible 
for  us  ahcays  to  delight  in  the  will  of  God. 

This  was  the  experience  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
He  could  always  say,  "  I  delight  to  do  Thy  will,  0  my 
God ;  yea.  Thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  And  He  has 
told  us  that  as  He  was  so  are  we  to  be  in  this  world. 

Then  this  experience  was  enjoyed  by  many  of  the  Old 
Testament  saints.  Look,  for  example,  at  the  writer  of 
Psalm  cxix.  There  was  a  man  who  found  the  deepest 
delight  of  his  life  in  the  will  of  God.  His  whole  Psalm 
is  a  hymn  of  praise  to  the  will  of  God,  and  in  every  verse 
of  it  there  is  a  reference  to  the  will  of  God,  either  as  law, 
or  testimony,  or  precept,  or  statute,  or  word.  In  the 
twenty-fourth  verse  he  expressly  says,  "  Thy  testimonies 
are  my  delight." 


18  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS, 

And  tMs  experience  is  enjoyed  by  many  round  about 
us.  ISTot  long  ago  I  met  a  man  who  said  to  me,  "  I  have 
come  from  long  experience  of  the  will  of  G-od  so  to  re- 
joice in  it,  that  if  God  said  to  me,  Go,  lie  down  on  the 
road  and  die,  I  would  do  it  with  the  greatest  pleasure. 
I  cannot  conceive  anything  so  delightful  as  the  will  of 
God."  Another  said  to  me,  "  For  years  I  have  let  God 
manage  my  life,  and  He  has  done  it  so  well  that  I  would 
never  dream  of  taking  it  out  of  His  hands." 

These  men  were  not  boasting.  Both  of  them  are 
among  the  humblest  men  I  have  ever  met.  They  were 
just  confessing  what  all  who  give  themselves  up  to  do 
the  will  of  God  confess  —  that  in  the  will  of  God  is  the 
purest  source  of  human  joy. 

But  if  this  experience  is  attainable,  how  are  we  to 
attain  it  ?  For  the  attainment  of  it,  I  think  the  follow- 
ing rules  may  be  helpful. 

(1)  Settle  it  in  your  mind  that  the  zvill  of  God  is  ahvays 
good,  and  that,  therefore,  it  is  a  reasonable  thing  to  de- 
light in  it.  Delight  is,  no  doubt,  a  matter  of  the  affec- 
tions rather  than  of  the  reason,  but  to  convince  the  reason 
of  the  righteousness  of  any  feeling  is  a  great  help  towards 
the  awakening  of  that  feeling.  When  I  say  that  we 
ought  to  convince  ourselves  that  the  will  of  God  is  good, 
I  virtually  say  that  we  ought  to  take  pains  to  know  the 
will  of  God.  If  I  study  the  will  of  God  as  it  is  revealed 
in  the  Bible,  I  can  scarcely  help  falling  in  love  with  it. 
Why!  what  is  the  will  of  God?  For  those  that  are 
lost  ?  "  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in 
the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his 
evil  way,  and  live "  (Ezek.  xxxiii.  11).  "This  is  the  will 
of  Him  that  sent  Me,  that  every  one  that  seeth  the  Son, 
and  believeth  on  Him,  may  have  everlasting  life  "  (John 


THE  CUBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  19 

vi.  40).  For  those  that  are  saved  ?  "  Fear  not,  little 
flock,  it  is  the  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the 
Kingdom."  "  This  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent 
Me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  Me  I  should  lose 
nothing,  but  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day  "  (John  vi. 
39).  "This  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctification " 
(1  Thess.  iv.  3).  "  In  everything  give  thanks,  for  this  is 
the  will  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  concerning  you  "  (1  Thess. 
v.  18).  In  the  will  of  God  there  is  everything  of  bless- 
ing for  His  people.  If  we  really  knew,  as  we  may  know 
from  His  Word,  what  God  wills,  we  should  not  find  it 
hard  to  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

(2)  Hemernber  that  there  is  within  you  a  principle  of  life 
luhich  mcikes  it  easy  for  you,  to  delight  in  the  idll  of  Ood. 

This  was  given  you  in  regeneration.  Previously  there 
was  within  you  a  carnal  heart,  which  was  at  enmity  against 
God,  and  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  which  departed  from 
the  Living  God.  But  now,  being  in  Christ,  you  are  new 
creatures,  with  a  new  love  ruling  your  life.  You  can 
now  say,  "  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward 
man."  The  nature  of  the  new  life  given  to  you  is  such, 
that  as  a  flower  turns  to  the  sun,  so  you  turn  to  God.  It 
is  natural  for  your  new  nature  to  rejoice  in  God's  will. 
Let  your  new  nature  have  scope.  Yield  it  up  to  the 
Holy  Spirit,  that  He  may  fill  it,  and  He  will  give  you 
such  a  vision  of  the  glory  of  God's  will  as  will  ravish 
your  soul. 

(3)  Give  yourself  up  in  all  circumstayices,  and  at  all  timesy 
to  do  the  will  of  God. 

After  all,  the  secret  of  delighting  in  God's  will  is  to 
do  it.  Only  when  it  is  accepted  and  carried  out  does  the 
joy  it  leads  to  become  ours.  Obedience,  which  is  the 
path  of  knowledge,  is  also  the  ]jath  of  gladness.     When 


20  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS, 

a  man  is  determined  to  do  the  will  of  God,  whether  he 
likes  it  or  not,  he  soon  finds  in  it  a  source  of  unfailing 
joy,  until  at  last  he  can  come  to  sing  words  like 
these :  — 

Thou  sweet,  beloved  will  of  God, 
My  anchor  ground,  uiy  fortress  hill, 

My  spirit's  silent  fair  abode, 
In  Thee  I  hide  me,  and  am  still. 

Thy  wonderful  grand  will,  my  God, 
With  triumph  now  I  make  it  mine ; 

And  faith  shall  cry  a  joyous  Yes ! 
To  every  dear  command  of  Thine. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   ASPIRATION   AFTER  LOVE   OP   GOD's    WORD. 

"Thy  Word  is  very  pure;  therefore  Thy  servant  loveth  it" 
(Psalm  cxix.  140). 

All  of  us  have  often  read  the  119th  Psalm,  and  all  of 
us  must  often  in  our  secret  hearts  have  envied  the  writer 
of  it.  Por  he  was  a  man  in  whose  case  the  aspiration  we 
are  now  considering  was  fulfilled  in  quite  an  unusual 
degree.  That  man  had  a  perfect  passion  for  the  Word  of 
God.  In  his  wonderful  Psalm  every  verse  is  devoted  to 
the  praise  of  God's  Word.  '  This  man  could  never  get 
over  the  fact  that  God  should  have  revealed  Himself  at 
all.  It  is  to  him  matter  of  constant  adoration  and  praise. 
Therefore,  he  naturally  delights  in  the  revelation  God 
had  given.  See  how  this  comes  out  in  the  Psalm.  At 
the  beginning  he  confesses,  "  Thy  Word  have  I  hid  in 
my  heart,  that  I  might  not  sin  against  Thee."    A  little 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASFIltATIONS.  21 

later  comes  the  verse,  "  I  trust  in  Thy  Word."  As  he 
reaches  the  middle  of  the  Psalm  he  exclaims,  "Thy  Word 
is  a  lamp  to  my  feet,  and  a  light  to  my  x:>ath  " ;  while,  as 
he  nears  the  close  of  his  Psalm,  he  cries  aloud,  "I  rejoice 
at  Thy  Word,  as  one  that  lindeth  great  spoil."  Here 
was  a  man  who,  though  his  Bible  was  small,  esteemed  it 
more  than  his  necessary  food. 

With  many  of  us  how  different  it  is  !  We  have  often 
to  complain  of  a  lack  of  real  interest  in  the  Bible.  We 
read  it,  of  course,  and  we  urge  others  to  read  it.  But  we 
have  no  deep  delight  in  the  reading  of  it.  Some  of  us 
love  non-religious  books  better  than  the  Bible.  Judged 
by  the  time  we  give  to  them,  the  newspaper,  the  novel, 
the  book  of  travel,  are  of  more  importance  in  our  eyes 
than  the  Word  of  God.  Even  if  we  will  not  acknowledge 
that  we  regard  them  as  more  important,  we  have  to 
acknowledge  that  we  find  them  more  interesting.  To 
the  books  of  the  world  we  go  spontaneously,  while  to  the 
Book  of  God  we  have  to  be  drawn  by  a  sense  of  duty. 

And  some  of  us  love  books  about  the  Bible  more  than 
the  Bible  itself.  To  put  the  use  of  devotional  manuals 
in  place  of  the  study  of  the  Word  of  God  is  one  of  the 
subtlest  dangers  to  which  an  earnest  Christian  is  ex- 
posed. He  who  tries  to  nourish  his  soul  on  man's 
thoughts  about  the  Word  of  God,  will  find  himself 
starved.     Yet  this  is  what  thousands  habitually  do. 

However,  we  do  study  the  Bible.  Most  of  us  are  prob- 
ably members  of  one  or  other  of  those  Scripture  Unions, 
which  have  done  such  incalculable  good  in  promoting 
the  reading  of  God's  Word.  We  read  the  Bible,  but  we 
find  it  very  dry.  It  is  so  distressingly  familiar.  We 
know  what  is  coming,  and  our  minds  wander  in  spite 
of  ourselves.     Like  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  we 


22  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIEATIONS. 

feel  inclined  to  cry,  "  Give  us  something  new  to  eat,  for 
our  souls  loathe  this  manna." 

This  distaste  for  the  Word  of  God  is  a  real  and  pain- 
ful fact  in  the  experience  of  many  of  God's  people. 
They  know  it  and  bewail  it,  and  cry  out  for  deliverance 
from  it.    Whence  comes  this  evil,  and  how  may  it  be  cured  ? 

(1)  Our  lack  of  appetite  for  our  heavenly  food  may  be 
due  to  something  in  ourselves. 

Lack  of  appetite  is  always  regarded  by  physicians  as 
a  symptom  of  illness.  If  the  general  state  of  our  spirit- 
ual life  is  low,  if  we  are  living  out  of  fellowship  with 
God,  or  living  in  worldliness  and  self-indulgence,  no 
wonder  if  we  have  little  love  for  the  Word  of  God.  If 
there  is  some  one  with  whom  we  have  a  quarrel,  and 
whom  we  will  not  forgive ;  if  there  is  some  plain  duty 
which  we  will  not  perform,  —  no  wonder  that  we  fear  the 
Bible.  If  this  be  so,  let  us  remember  there  is  no  path 
to  love  of  the  Bible  except  through  the  blood  that  cleanses 
from  all  sin.  We  must  make  full  confession  of  our  sin, 
we  must  heartily  renounce  it,  we  must  surrender  our- 
selves to  God.  And  when  He  has  received  us,  and 
restored  our  spiritual  health,  with  returning  health  will 
come  returning  appetite. 

(2)  But  our  lack  of  appetite  for  the  Word  of  God  may 
be  due,  not  so  much  to  spiritual  sickness,  as  to  the  manner 
in  which  we  take  our  food.  Good  food  badly  served  may 
nauseate  a  healthy  and  hungry  man. 

I  believe  that  false  methods  of  reading  and  studying 
the  Bible  have  much  to  do  with  the  prevailing  lack  of 
interest  in  it.  We  study  our  Bibles  mechanically,  we 
tramp  monotonously  along  the  beaten  paths,  and  then 
complain  of  want  of  freshness.  The  fault  is  not  in  the 
Bible,  but  in  us,  who  do  not  give  it  a  fair  chance. 


TUB  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  23 

The  following  practical  rules  may  now  be  given  to 
help  us  to  a  deeper  love  of  the  Word  of  God.  If  we 
would  love  our  Bible :  — 

(a)  Let  us  study  it  regularly. 

We  should  not  forget  that  the  love  of  God's  Word  is 
an  acquired  taste.  If  we  cease  to  use  it,  we  cease  to 
relish  it.  That  we  find  the  study  of  it  dry,  must  not 
deter  us  from  continuing  our  study,  for  the  Bible  some- 
times will  yield  its  sweetness  only  to  the  man  who  beats 
it  out.  There  is  need  of  importunity  in  Bible  reading, 
as  well  as  in  prayer.  Let  us,  then,  study  regularly  and 
patiently,  and  we  shall  be  richly  rewarded. 

(6)  Let  us  vary  our  metJiods  of  studying  the  Bible. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  ways  for  securing  that  our 
Bible-reading  shall  be  always  fresh.  When  we  have  got 
all  we  can  get  by  working  along  one  line,  let  us  take 
another.  At  one  time  we  may  take  the  Bible  telescopi- 
cally.  We  may  take  a  book  at  a  time  and  endeavor  to 
grasp  its  message.  We  may  run  rapidly  through  its 
chapters,  not  so  mueh  to  see  what  they  individually  con- 
tain as  to  see  what  is  the  impression  the  book  taken  as 
a  whole  makes  upon  us. 

At  another  time  we  may  take  the  Bible  microscopically. 
Instead  of  occupying  ourselves  with  books,  we  may  oc- 
cupy ourselves  with  words.  This  is  a  profoundly  inter- 
esting method  of  study,  and  the  more  it  is  followed,  the 
deeper  does  the  conviction  sink  into  the  mind  of  the 
plenary  inspiration  of  God's  holy  Word.  This  method 
at  its  best  is  only  open  to  those  who  know  the  original 
Bible  languages,  but  with  the  aid  of  a  book  like  Strong's 
"  Exhaustive  Concordance  "  much  may  be  done  by  the 
English  reader.  As  an  example  of  this  method,  we 
might  take  the  word  "help."     In  the  New  Testament, 


24  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIBATIONS. 

seven  words  are  employed  to  denote  the  idea  of  help, 
and  the  usage  of  them  is  so  exact,  that  in  no  case  could 
one  of  them  be  put  for  the  other  without  a  loss  of  power. 
The  same  method  of  study  applied  to  the  words  for 
'^  sin,"  or  the  words  for  "  prayer,"  yields  most  remarkable 
results. 

Again,  we  may  read  the  Bible  clironologicaUy.  We 
may  subordinate  everything  for  the  time  to  getting  an 
accurate  idea  of  the  development  of  God^s  revelation  of 
Himself.  It  will  give  a  fresh  interest  to  our  reading 
of  the  Bible  to  trace  the  order  in  which  the  great  truths 
of  revelation  were  revealed. 

Or  we  may  read  the  Bible  topically.  We  may  go 
through  book  after  book,  or  writer  after  writer,  to  find 
what  each  has  taught  on  the  great  subjects  which  the 
Bible  brings  before  us. 

There  is  almost  an  unlimited  number  of  ways  in  which 
the  Bible  may  be  treated,  and  each,  as  it  is  taken  up  in 
turn,  will  give  a  fresh  interest  to  our  reading. 

(c)  Turn  the  Bible  into  prayer. 

This  is  a  most  important  rule.  When  used  in  this 
way,  the  Bible  becomes  an  amazing  help  to  the  growth 
of  our  spiritual  life.  It  is  hard  not  to  be  interested  in 
a  Scripture  narrative,  if  while  reading  it  we  are  praying 
God  to  work  it  out  again  in  our  own  souls. 

But,  above  all,  if  you  would  have  a  genuine  love  for 
the  word  of  God, 

(d)  Depend  upon  the  Holy  Ghost  to  make  the  Bible  living 
and  fresh  to  you.  As  our  failures  in  prayer  are  largely 
due  to  our  forgetfulness  of  the  special  work  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  ready  to  do  for  us  in  prayer,  so  our  failure 
in  Bible  reading  is  often  due  to  a  similar  cause.  The 
Word  of  God  without  the  Spirit  of  God  will  always  be 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  25 

dry  and  powerless.  Just  as  the  joy  of  j^rayer  is  only 
known  when  we  pray  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  so  the  true  joy 
of  feeding  on  the  Word  is  known  only  by  those  who 
give  themselves  up  to  be  led  by  the  Holy  Ghost  into  all 
truth.  If  our  daily  reading  of  the  Scriptures  were  al- 
ways preceded  by  a  prayer  for  the  help  of  the  Spirit, 
and  by  the  taking  up  of  an  attitude  of  reliance  on  the 
Spirit,  we  should  not  have  to  complain  of  that  lack  of 
interest  which  troubles  so  many.  We  should  rejoice  in 
God^s  Word,  as  one  that  finds  great  spoil. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   ASPIRATION   AFTER   POWER   IN   PRAYER. 

*'  As  a  prince  tliou  hast  power  with  God  "  (Gen.  xxxii.  28). 

In  the  twelfth  chapter  of  his  First  Epistle  to  the  Co- 
rinthians, the  Apostle  Paul  bids  us  to  "covet  earnestly 
the  best  gifts."  In  no  way  can  we  better  fulfil  his  com- 
mand than  by  coveting  power  in  prayer.  For  assuredly 
it  is  one  of  God's  best  gifts  to  man.  Than  this  there  is 
nothing  that  brings  more  glory  to  God,  or  more  blessing 
to  human  souls.  And  it  is  essentially  a  grace,  a  gift  of 
God.  We  cannot  work  it  in  ourselves.  To  some  men 
God  gives  it  in  a  marvellous  degree.  To  them  prayer 
is  a  calling.  It  is  the  direction  in  which  they  are  spe- 
cially called  to  serve  God.  But  while  some  of  God's 
saints  have  a  vocation  in  regard  to  prayer,  all  are  bound 
to  learn  to  wield  this  instrument,  which  God  in  His  in- 
finite grace  has  put  into  their  hands. 

Power  in  prayer  means  power  to  use  prayer  for  the 
purposes  for  which  God  has  given  it  to  us.     Prevailing 


26  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIBATIONS, 

prayer  is  prayer  tliat  secures  answers.  But  this  means 
prayer  that  conforms  to  the  Divinely  appointed  condi- 
tions. What  these  are  we  now  proceed  to  discover.  An 
examination  of  them  will  show  that  true  prayer,  instead 
of  being  an  easy  thing,  is  in  reality  a  thing  most  difficult, 
and  will  explain  to  us  why  our  prayers  have  so  often 
failed.  The  teaching  of  Scripture  in  regard  to  the  con- 
ditions of  prayer  is  so  ample  that  we  shall  not  be  able  to 
present  it  fully,  but  we  shall  look  at  those  conditions 
which  are  the  most  important. 

(1)  The  first  condition  is  Heart  Separation  from  sin. 

"  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not 
hear  me  "  (Psalm  Ixvi.  18).  "  The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked 
is  an  abomination  to  the  Lord"  (Pro v.  xv.  8).  Consecra- 
tion to  God  and  holiness  of  life  are  necessary  to  prevail- 
ing prayer.  A  heart  that  loves  sin,  a  life  that  is  spent 
for  self,  are  fatal  hindrances  to  prayer.  No  doubt,  as  the 
writer  of  the  sixty-sixth  Psalm  expressly  tells  us,  God  in 
His  mercy  hears  and  answers  the  prayers  of  very  unsanc- 
tified  people,  but  such  do  not  wield  the  power  in  prayer 
of  which  we  are  now  speaking.  He  who  ascends  into  the 
hill  of  God,  and  stands  in  His  holy  place,  must  have 
clean  hands  and  a  pure  heart. 

(2)  The  second  condition  is  Righteousness.  This  we 
are  told  by  the  Apostle  James,  when  he  says,  "  The  sup- 
plication of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much"  (Jas.  v.  16). 
But  what  is  implied  in  that  righteousness  which  is  need- 
ful to  powerful  prayer?  It  implies  a  recognition  that 
this  universe  is  a  moral  universe,  a  universe  in  which 
moral  considerations  are  superior  to  all  others.  It  im- 
plies a  mind  in  sympathy  with  the  purpose  of  God  in  the 
management  of  His  universe.  In  particular,  it  implies  a 
recognition  of  the  absolute  supremacy  of  God,  a  recogni- 


TUE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  27 

tion  of  His  absolute  sovereignty,  and  a  total  self-surrender 
to  His  will.  This,  when  combined  with  a  recognition  of 
the  Divine  grace,  puts  the  soul  in  a  position  in  which  it 
can  pray  with  power. 

(3)  The  third  condition  is  Faith. 

"He  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that  He  is." 
Obviously,  the  atheist  cannot  pray.  "  And  that  He  is  a 
rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  Him  "  (Heb.  xi.  6). 
Obviously,  also,  the  deist  and  the  agnostic  cannot  pray. 
Prayer  without  some  measure  of  hope  cannot  exist. 
The  Divine  law  in  this  matter  is,  "According  to  your 
faith  be  it  unto  you  " ;  therefore  he  who  would  prevail  in 
prayer  must  ever  pray,  "  Lord,  increase  our  faith.'' 

(4)  The  fourth  condition  is  Intelligence. 

God's  service  is  ever  a  reasonable  service.  There  is 
nothing  arbitrary  or  magical  in  God.  He  never  outrages 
the  reason  which  He  has  implanted  in  man.  He  often 
does  things  which  transcend  our  reason,  but  He  never 
does  things  which  contradict  it.  So  Avhile  He  gives  to 
us  the  power  of  prayer.  He  tells  us  it  can  only  be  exer- 
cised "  according  to  His  will."  "  This  is  the  confidence 
that  we  have  in  Him,  that  if  we  ask  anything  according 
to  His  will.  He  heareth  us  "  (1  John  v.  14).  If  we  are 
to  know  His  will  we  must  search  for  it  where  it  is  made 
known  to  us.  The  aspiration  after  power  in  prayer  is 
closely  connected  with  the  aspiration  after  love  of  God's 
Word,  for  it  is  only  when  we  search  the  Scriptures  that 
we  are  able  always  to  pray  according  to  the  mind  of  God. 

(5)  The  fifth  condition  is  Eaiiiestness. 

This  we  learn  from  Jer.  xxix.  13,  "  Ye  shall  seek  Me, 
and  find  Me,  when  ye  shall  search  for  Me  idth  all  your 
hearty  In  many  of  our  prayers  it  is  but  too  evident 
that  we  care  little  whether  the  prayer  is  answered  or  not. 


28  THE  CHEISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

Such  prayer  cannot  prevail.  God  will  not  be  mocked  by 
a  hollow  approach.  The  value  of  fasting,  which  in  many 
places  in  Scripture  is  connected  with  prayer,  consists  in 
the  evidence  of  earnestness  which  it  supplies.  Only  on 
the  wings  of  strong  desire  can  prayer  reach  the  throne 
of  God. 

(6)  Akin  to  earnestness  is  Importunity,  which  is  the 
next  condition  we  mention.  Importunity  is  just  con- 
tinued earnestness.  Its  value  in  prayer  we  may  judge 
from  the  fact  that  our  Lord  has  given  us  two  parables  to 
illustrate  its  power.  Importunity  is  the  spirit  of  the 
wrestling  Jacob  (Gen.  xxxii.  26)  and  of  the  Lord's  re- 
membrancers, who  are  to  keep  not  silence,  and  to  give 
Him  no  rest,  till  He  establish,  and  till  He  make  Jeru- 
salem a  praise  in  the  earth  (Isa.  Ixii.). 

(7)  The  seventh  condition  is  Agreement  with  the  people 
of  God.  This  is  a  most  important,  but  often  forgotten, 
condition.  It  applies  not  only  to  public  or  common 
prayer,  but  also  to  private  or  secret  prayer.  Our  Lord 
said,  ^'Iftwo  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching  any- 
thing that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of 
my  Father  which  is  in  heaven"  (Matt,  xviii.  19).  This 
shows  us  that  if  we  are  to  prevail  in  prayer  we  must 
pray  with  and  for  all  saints,  and  be  careful  to  live  in  love 
towards  all  the  people  of  God.  An  unloving  spirit,  a 
spirit  that  seldom  gives  itself  up  to  intercession,  will 
never  be  strong  in  prayer.  It  is  where  brethren  dwell 
together  in  unity  that  the  Lord  commands  his  blessing, 
even  life  for  evermore  (Psalm  cxxxiii.). 

8.   As  an  eighth  condition  we  may  mention   TJiank- 


In  many  passages  of  Scripture  the  lesson  is  taught  us 
that  if  we  would  learn  to  pray  we  must  also  learn  to 


TUE  christian's  ASPIRATIONS.  29 

praise.  To  the  unthankful  God  cannot  give  his  best 
gifts.  It  was  praise  that  filled  the  temple  with  the 
glory  of  God  (2  Chron.  v.  13) ;  it  was  praise  that  shook 
the  prison  of  Philippi  to  its  foundations  (Acts  xvi.  25). 
And  in  Phil.  iv.  6,  where  we  have  explicit  directions 
about  prayer,  we  are  enjoined  to  combine  with  it  thanks- 
giving. 

Two  other  conditions  may  be  noticed  ere  we  close. 

(9)  If  our  prayer  is  to  prevail,  it  must  be  in  the  name 
of  Jesus.  What  this  means  is  not  always  realized.  It 
means  far  more  than  the  use  of  the  name  of  Jesus  at  the 
end  of  our  prayers.  It  means  not  only  that  we  recognize 
Jesus  as  the  Mediator  through  whom  we  come,  but  that 
we  are  in  such  sympathy  with  His  purposes  that  He  can 
endorse  our  requests.  This  is  the  great  secret  of  pre- 
vailing prayer :  <'  If  ye  ask  anything  in  My  name,  1  will 
do  it"  (John  xiv.  14). 

(10)  If  our  prayer  is  to  prevail,  it  must  be  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  importance  of  this  condition  is  often  over- 
looked. But  true  power  in  prayer  will  never  be  ours 
until,  as  we  pray,  we  are  upborne  by  the  Spirit.  As  He 
teaches  us  what  to  pray  for,  and  how  to  pray,  our  prayers 
will  prevail,  and  we  shall  see  abundant  answers  coming 
forth  from  the  presence  of  God. 


CHAPTER  yil. 

THE   ASPIRATION   AFTER   THE   FIRE   OF   LOVE. 

"We  love  Him  because  He  first  loved  us"  (1  John  iv.  19). 

Than  this  aspiration  there  is  none  holier  or  better.     If 
we  read  the  biographies  of  the  saints  we  shall  find  none 


30  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS, 

more  common.  God  is  so  worthy  of  our  love.  His  deal- 
ings witli  us  are  so  marvellous.  For  His  mercy  we  can 
make  no  return  but  the  return  of  love,  and  we  feel  that 
the  return  we  do  make  is  terribly  inadequate.  It  is  the 
burden  of  gratitude  resting  on  our  hearts  that  begets  the 
cry  for  the  fire  of  love. 

"  Yet  I  love  Thee  and  adore  — 
Oil  for  grace  to  love  Thee  more." 

What  a  wonderful  thing  the  fire  of  love  is  !  It  is  the 
life  of  the  soul.  As  Dr.  Matheson  says,  in  that  remark- 
able little  book  of  his,  "My  Aspirations,"  "The  only 
thing  which  is  not  consumed  by  burning  is  my  soul. 
Tire  is  the  death  of  my  body,  but  fire  is  the  life  of  my 
soul.  When  my  goods  are  burned  they  perish,  but  when 
my  soul  takes  fire  it  for  the  first  time  begins  to  live.  It 
is  the  want  of  fire  that  consumes  my  soul.  I  want  some- 
thing to  lift  me  out  of  myself  in  order  that  I  may  be 
strong.  Nothing  can  lift  me  out  of  myself  but  fire,  the 
fire  of  the  heart  —  love."  But  many  of  us  have  to  con- 
fess that  this  love  is  what  is  most  lacking  in  our  life. 
We  are  not  consumed  by  this  holy  flame.  We  are  dead 
and  cold,  even  when  we  hate  ourselves  for  this  coldness. 
Hence  the  strength  of  our  aspiration.  Hence  the  agony 
of  our  prayers.  Now  how  shall  we  get  this  flame  kindled 
in  our  hearts?  How  shall  we  deal  with  the  already 
kindled  flame  that  it  may  burn  more  brightly  and  hotly  ? 

Our  love  to  God,  we  must  ever  remember,  is  the 
answer  of  God's  love  to  us.  The  apostle  taught  us  this 
when  he  said,  "  We  love  Him  because  He  first  loved  us." 
To  quote  Dr.  Matheson  again :  "  In  Thee,  0  Lord,  let 
my  heart  be  kindled  !  Thy  love  alone  can  wake  my  love. 
Thy  fire  alone  can  impart  fire  to  me.     Thy  light  alone 


THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  31 

can  illuminate  and  warm  me  with  that  ardor  which  con- 
sumes not."  To  remember  that  we  love  God  in  exact 
proportion  to  our  recognition  of  the  Love  of  God  to  us, 
is  to  step  into  the  path  where  the  fulfilment  of  this 
aspiration  awaits  us. 

Three  things  may  now  be  mentioned  which  act  as 
PuEL  TO  THE  FiRE  OF  LovE.     The  first  of  these  is  :  — 

(1)   Recollection. 

"When  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  instituted  the  Lord's 
Supper,  and  said,  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  Me,"  He 
took  the  best  means  possible  for  keeping  His  people's 
love  to  Him  alive  and  strong.  He  meant  that  from  time 
to  time  they  should  pause  to  consider  how  much  they 
owed  Him,  and  how  deeply  He  had  lo\ed  them.  He 
knew  that  could  not  be  done  without  fanning  into  a  flame 
their  love  to  Him.  The  Lord's  Supper  is,  as  we  all  know, 
much  more  than  a  memorial;  but  one  of  the  ways  in 
which  it  ministers  to  our  growth  in  grace  is  by  the 
stimulus  it  gives  to  recollection. 

If  we  would  have  the  fire  of  love  burning  within  us, 
we  must  give  ourselves  to  recollection.  We  must  gather 
round  the  cradle  at  Bethlehem,  and  as  we  see  the  Child 
there,  we  must  say,  "  The  Word  was  made  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among  us,  and  we  beheld  His  glory,  the  glory  as 
of  the  Only  Begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth"  (John  i.  14).  We  must  read  the  story  of  His 
life,  until  we  are  fascinated  by  it,  and  exclaim,  "God 
anointed  Him  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power; 
who  went  about  doing  good,  and  healing  those  who  were 
oppressed  by  the  devil."  We  must  go  to  Calvary,  and 
look  upon  the  Lamb  of  God  taking  away  the  sin  of  the 
world.  We  must  look  upon  Him  whom  we  have  pierced 
until  the   greatness  of  His   love  to  us  overwhelms  us. 


32  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

We  must  raise  our  thoughts  to  the  throne,  where  He  is 
engaged  in  unceasing  intercession  for  us,  and  our  eyes  to 
the  clouds  on  which  He  will  so  soon  be  seen  appearing ; 
and  as  we  deal  with  these  facts,  we  shall  find  in  them  the 
fuel  for  the  fire  of  love. 

But  while  recollection  will  supply  the  fuel,  it  will  not 
always  kindle  it.     This  is  done  by  — 

(2)  Contemplation. 

Eecollection  is  needful  to  bring  the  facts  before  our 
minds,  contemplation  is  needful  to  make  them  sink  into 
our  minds.  Eecollection  will  bring  us  to  Bethlehem,  but 
it  is  contemplation  which  will  make  us  bring  forth  our 
gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh,  as  we  adore  Him  who  lies 
there.  Eecollection  will  make  us  see  the  beauty  of  the 
life  of  Christ,  but  contemplation  alone  will  teach  us  its 
meaning  and  its  redeeming  power.  But  above  all,  it  is 
by  contemplation  that  the  true  meaning  of  the  Cross 
becomes  plain  to  us.  It  is  when,  like  those  of  old,  we 
"  sit  down,  and  watch  Him  there  '^ ;  when  we  take  time 
to  measure  the  love  of  which  the  Cross  speaks,  that  the 
fire  of  love  begins  to  burn  in  our  hearts. 

"Bearing  shame  and  scoffing  rude, 
In  my  place  condemned  He  stood, 
Sealed  my  pardon  with  His  blood, 

Hallelujah!" 

How  truly  the  Divine  love  is  the  fire  that  kindles  our 
love  we  can  hardly  know,  until  we  have  given  ourselves 
up  to  this  exercise  of  contemplation.  As  we  behold  the 
love  of  God,  as  we  adore  it,  and  rejoice  in  it,  it  descends 
into  our  hearts,  and  wakes  them  into  the  fervor  of  burn- 
ing zeal.  The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  we  indeed  love  Him  who  first 
loved  us. 


TUB  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  33 

What  recollection  begins,  and  contemplation  continues, 
is  further  carried  on  by  — 

(3)    Confession. 

"  We  have  known  and  believed,"  says  the  apostle  John, 
"  the  love  that  God  hath  for  us  "  (1  John  iv.  16).  But 
he  had  previously  said,  "  That  which  we  have  seen  and 
heard  declare  we  unto  you "  (1  John  i.  3).  When  we 
confess  the  love  of  God,  and  tell  what  we  know  of  it ; 
when  we  tell  what  God  has  done  for  our  souls,  then  these 
things  become  more  real  to  us,  and  prove  their  power  in 
our  lives.  There  is  no  surer  way  of  making  God's  love 
unreal  to  us,  and  of  quenching  our  love  to  Him,  than 
refusing  to  confess  him  before  men.  When  we  are  en- 
deavoring to  make  the  hearts  of  others  burn  within  them 
by  the  recital  of  the  love  of  Christ,  it  is  certain  that  our 
own  hearts  will  begin  to  glow.  The  man  who  says, 
"  Come  near,  ye  that  fear  God,  I  will  declare  what  He 
hath  done  for  my  soul,"  will  also  be  able  to  say,  "  I  love 
the  Lord." 

But  we  must  remember  that,  after  all,  it  is  not  we  who 
make  ourselves  love  God  intensely.  That  is  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  He  it  is  who  sheds  the  love  of  God 
abroad  in  our  hearts,  and  kindles  within  us  this  sacred 
flame.  While,  therefore,  we  remember,  reflect,  repeat, 
we  must  also  rely.  Trust  the  Holy  Spirit  to  do  this 
work  in  you,  and  to  you  will  be  given  the  joy  of  having 
a  heart  aflame  with  the  love  of  God. 


34  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIBATIONS. 

CHAPTEE  VIII. 

THE   ASPIRATION   AFTER   A   CONTENTED    SPIRIT. 

"Be  content  with  sucli  things  as  ye  have"  (Heb.  xiii.  5). 

"Now,  as  they  were  going  along,  and  talking,  they 
espied  a  boy  feeding  his  father's  sheep.  The  boy  was 
in  very  mean  clothes,  but  of  a  very  fresh  and  well-favored 
countenance;  and  as  he  sat  by  himself,  he  sang.  Hark, 
said  Mr.  Great-heart,  to  what  the  shepherd  boy  saith. 
So  they  hearkened,  and  he  said :  — 

*  He  that  is  down  needs  fear  no  fall ;  he  that  is  low  no  pride  ; 
He  that  is  humble  ever  shall  have  God  to  be  his  Guide. 
I  am  content  with  what  I  have,  little  it  be  or  much ; 
And,  Lord,  contentment  still  I  crave,  because  Thou  savest  such. 
Fulness  to  such  a  burden  is,  that  go  on  pilgrimage  ; 
Here  little,  and  hereafter  bliss,  is  best  from  age  to  age.' " 

So  writes  Bunyan,  in  one  of  the  most  beautiful  pictures 
of  his  marvel-book.  And  in  the  praise  of  contentment, 
he  is  joined  by  every  experimental  writer  worth  naming. 
All  feel  that  this  is  one  of  the  best  of  Christian  graces. 
One,  Jeremy  Taylor,  in  his  priceless  treatise  "  Holy  Liv- 
ing," says,  "  God  has  appointed  one  remedy  for  all  the 
evils  in  the  world,  and  that  is  a  contented  spirit.  The 
man  who  is  contented  nothing  can  hurt.  Do  riches  come 
to  him  ?  It  is  well.  Do  they  take  wings,  and  fly  away  ? 
It  is  well  also.  Is  he  in  health  ?  It  is  well.  Does  sick- 
ness fall  on  him  ?     It  is  well  also. 

A  contented  spirit  is  the  best  equipment  a  man  can 
have  for  facing  life.  He  who  could  send  his  son  into 
the  world  possessed  of  a  contented  spirit,  would  do  more 
to  secure  his  happiness  than  if  he  gave  him  all  the  wealth 


THE  CIIJilSriAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  35 

of  South  Africa.  This  is  what  Paul  found  after  a  long 
experience.  He  had  not  known  it  at  first.  God  had  to 
teach  it  to  him,  but  he  regarded  it  as  one  of  the  most 
vahiable  lessons  of  his  life.  "  I  have  learned  in  whatso- 
ever state  I  am  therewith  to  be  content.  I  know  how  to 
be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound ;  everywhere,  and 
in  all  things,  I  am  instructed  both  how  to  be  full  and  to 
be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and  suffer  need"  (Phil.  iv. 
12).  This  statement  of  Paul  tells  us  something  about 
contentment  which  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  for  us 
to  learn.  It  tells  us  that  contentment  is  a  habit  of  mind. 
It  was  something  which  Paul  had  to  learn.  It  cost  him 
effort ;  it  cost  him  time.  At  every  stage  the  natural  dis- 
contentedness  had  to  be  overcome.  If  Paul  had  to  learn 
it,  how  much  more  have  we.  How  it  is  to  be  learned,  it 
is  our  duty  now  to  discover. 

For  cultivating  the  habit  of  content  the  following  sug- 
gestions may  be  found  helpful :  — 

(1)  When  tempted  to  murmur,  never  compare  your  con- 
dition ivith  that  of  those  above  you,  but  always  with  that  of 
those  beneath  you.  Are  you  complaining  of  the  straitness 
of  your  lot  ?  Go  and  visit  the  really  poor.  When  you 
see  a  condition  compared  with  which  yours  is  one  of 
affluence,  you  will  cease  to  murmur,  and  begin  to  praise. 
Wealth  is  a  relative  thing,  and  if  we  measure  our  desires 
b}^  our  condition,  and  not  our  condition  by  our  desires,  it 
will  help  us  greatly  in  the  securing  of  a  contented  spirit. 
"  It  is  a  huge  folly,"  says  Jeremy  Taylor,  "  rather  to 
grieve  for  the  good  of  others,  than  to  rejoice  for  that 
good  which  God  has  given  us  of  our  own." 

(2)  When  tempted  to  murmur,  consider  how  much  better 
your  case  is  than  it  might  have  been.  To  quote  Jeremy 
Taylor  again,  "The  very  privative  blessings  which  we 


36  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

commonly  enjoy,  deserve  the  thanksgiving  of  a  whole 
life.  Thou  art  quit  of  a  thousand  calamities,  every  one 
of  which,  if  it  were  upon  thee,  would  make  thee  insensi- 
ble of  thy  present  sorrow."  The  habit  of  thanking  God 
for  what  has  not  happened  is  a  most  helpful  one.  We 
have  the  example  of  the  Psalmist  to  guide  us  here.  In 
the  103d  Psalm  we  have  no  sweeter  strain  than  that  in 
which  the  Psalmist  sings,  "  He  hath  not  dealt  with  us 
after  our  sins ;  nor  rewarded  us  according  to  our  iniqui- 
ties. "  To  read  what  is,  in  the  light  of  what  might  have 
been,  is  one  of  the  paths  to  a  contented  spirit. 

(3)  When  tempted  to  murmur,  remember  that  God  is  at 
work  upon  your  life,  making  it  after  His  pattern,  and  that 
He  has  ordered  all  your  circumstances  in  accordance  with 
His  purpose.  All  things  are  not  merely  for  good,  but  for 
the  best.  If  we  are  the  Lord's,  and  have  really  put  our- 
selves into  his  His  hands  for  the  fulfilment  of  His  will, 
nothing  can  go  wrong.  Any  change  would  be  a  change 
for  the  worse.  No  doubt  it  may  not  seem  so.  But  it  is 
so,  and  it  is  the  privilege  of  faith  to  say  it.  That  my 
circumstances  are  so  different  from  those  of  others,  that 
they  are  so  much  more  trying,  is  no  evidence  that  I  am 
worse  placed  than  they.  God  does  not  intend  to  make 
me  the  same  as  any  one  else,  or  He  would  have  made  my 
circumstances  the  same.  They  are  the  chisels  He  uses 
in  hewing  the  statue,  and  He  will  use  the  best  fitted  for 
His  purpose.  When  we  remember  that  our  God  is 
almighty  and  all-loving,  how  unreasonable  does  all  mur- 
muring appear !  To  complain  of  our  lot  is  as  foolish  as 
to  complain  that  God  made  us  men,  and  not  angels  or  stars. 

(4)  But  the  supreme  secret  of  content  is  to  have  the 
mind  set  on  God.  We  are  restless  till  we  reach  Him. 
He  is  the  centre  of  all  life,  and  the  point  of  perfect  rest. 


TUE  CHRISTIAN' S  ASPIllATIONS.  37 

When  we  are  able  to  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "Whom 
have  I  in  heaven  but  Thee,  who  is  there  on  earth  whom 
I  desire  beside  Thee  ?  '^  —  when  God  is  our  all  in  all,  then 
this  blessed  secret  has  been  learned.  Nothing  can  then 
disturb  our  peace.  For  we  are  more  taken  up  with  the 
Giver  than  with  any  of  His  gifts.  And  if  the  gifts  are 
removed,  we  remember  that  nothing  can  remove  the 
Giver.  So  in  the  greatest  straits  we  can  rejoice,  like 
that  poor  woman,  who,  sitting  down  to  a  crust  of  bread 
and  a  cup  of  cold  water,  gave  thanks  in  the  words,  "  All 
this,  and  God  too." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    ASPIRATION    AFTER     POWER    TO     REDEEM    THE    TIME. 

"Redeeming  the  time  "  (Eph.  v.  16). 

"  So  teach  us  to  number  our  days,  that  we  may  apply 
our  hearts  unto  wisdom"  (Psalm  xc.  12).  Here  is  the 
prayer  of  a  man  who  aspired  after  power  to  redeem 
the  time !  He  felt  the  moral  value  of  time.  He  knew 
that  God  had  given  us  but  a  short  time  on  earth,  but  that 
on  the  right  use  of  that  time  eternity  depends.  He  felt 
also  the  exceeding  difiiculty  of  redeeming  the  time.  So, 
in  his  helplessness,  he  casts  himself  on  God.  "  So  teach 
us  to  number  our  days,  that  we  may  apply  our  hearts 
unto  wisdom." 

There  were  three  facts  of  life  which  impressed  this 
Psalmist,  and  which  should  impress  us  with  the  urgency 
of  making  a  right  use  of  our  time :  — 

(1)  He  saw  that  life  is  sliort. 

To   this   writer,  old  as  he  was,  man  appeared  like  a 


38  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

bubble  on  the  stream.  He  liad  himself  seen  a  whole 
generation  swept  away.  So  he  cries,  "Thou  earnest 
them  away  as  with  a  flood;  they  are  as  a  sleep:  in  the 
morning  they  are  like  grass  that  groweth  up.  In  the 
morning  it  flourisheth  and  groweth  up;  in  the  evening 
it  is  cut  down  and  withereth''  (Psa.  xc.  5). 

And  we,  too,  see  that  life  is  short.  Year  hurries  after 
year,  and  not  a  year  passes  in  which  we  have  not  to  lay 
to  rest  those  who  are  dear  to  us.  Our  experience  con- 
firms the  word  of  the  Apostle  James,  who  says,  "  What 
is  your  life  ?  It  is  even  as  a  vapor  which  appeareth  for 
a  little  while,  and  then  vanisheth  away  "  (Jas.  iv.  14). 

(2)  He  saw  that  life  is  sorrowful. 

Short  as  life  is,  it  is  full  of  trouble.  Sickness,  pain, 
sorrow,  and  care  pursue  man  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave. 
"  The  days  of  our  years  are  three  score  years  and  ten ; 
and  if  by  reason  of  strength  they  be  four  score,  yet  is 
their  strength  labor  and  sorrow;  for  it  is  soon  cut  off, 
and  we  fly  away  "  (Psa.  xc.  10). 

We,  too,  see  that  life  is  sorrowful.  Our  world  is  not 
less  troubled  than  that  in  which  the  Psalmist  lived.  The 
squalor,  poverty,  and  wretchedness  around  us  are  such 
as  sometimes  fill  us  with  dismay. 

(3)  He  saw  that  life  is  sinful. 

In  this  lies  the  explanation  of  the  shortness  and  the 
sorrowfulness  of  human  life.  "We  are  consumed  by 
Thy  anger,  and  by  Thy  wrath  are  we  troubled.  Thou 
hast  set  our  iniquities  before  Thee,  our  secret  sins  in 
the  light  of  Thy  countenance"  (Psa.  xc.  7).  Man  was 
not  meant  to  suffer ;  man  was  not  meant  to  die.  He  was 
meant  to  live  for  ever,  blessed  beyond  thought,  in  the 
fellowship  of  God;  but  sin  was  his  undoing,  bringing 
with  it  its  wages,  which  is  death. 


THE  ClIIilSTIAN'S  ASPIIiATlONS.  39 

These  are  the  three  great  facts  of  life  which  reveal  to 
us  alike  the  urgency  and  the  difficulty  of  redeeming  the 
time.  Life  is  short ;  therefore  our  opportunities  are  f ew 
and  passing.  Life  is  sorrowful ;  therefore  we  are  apt  to 
be  discouraged,  and  to  let  things  drift.  Life  is  sinful ; 
therefore,  if  we  would  redeem  the  time,  we  must  not  only 
overcome  adverse  circumstances  without,  but  a  far  worse 
enemy,  the  evil  heart  of  unbelief  within.  These  facts, 
then,  give  us  our  directions  how  to  act. 

(1)  Because  life  is  sinful  let  us  quickly  learn  the  lesson  of 
forgiveness.  This  is  God's  first  word  to  us.  If  we  are 
not  forgiven,  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  redeem  the  time. 
We  cannot  live  one  moment  aright.  We  are  the  enemies 
of  God,  and  every  moment  in  peril.  The  one  thing 
needful  for  us  is  to  ^^  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  be  saved." 

And  if  we  have  learned  the  lesson  of  forgiveness,  we 
must  learn  also  the  secret  of  victory.  To  redeem  the  time 
while  sin  has  dominion  over  us  is  impossible.  To  make 
the  best  use  of  life  while  we  are  slaves  is  impossible. 
We  must  be  made  free  men  if  we  are  to  do  God  the  ser- 
vice He  seeks  of  our  hand.  The  man  who  has  not  learned 
to  trust  Christ  as  his  sanctification  wastes  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  in  ineffectual  struggles  against  the  forces 
of  sin  within  him. 

(2)  Because  life  is  sorrowful  let  us  quickly  learn  the 
secret  of  God^s  peace.  To  those  who  visit  among  the 
poor  it  is  a  familiar  truth  that  their  poverty  and  trouble 
lie  at  the  root  of  their  idleness  and  thriftlessness.  The 
man  who  feels  that  by  the  hardest  work  he  can  perform 
he  can  only  make  himself  a  little  more  comfortable  than 
by  doing  nothing  is  apt  to  think  that  his  comfort  may  be 
too  dearly  bought.     If  we  are  to  redeem  the  time,  we 


40  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

must  be  saved  from  discouragement.  Worry  is  one  of 
the  greatest  wasters  of  time  as  well  as  of  strength  that 
can  be  named.  He  who  is  kept  by  the  peace  of  God 
will  do  infinitely  more  work  and  better  work  than  the 
man  whose  mind  is  worried  and  distressed.  Whatever 
takes  friction  out  of  life  increases  its  working  power. 

(3)  Because  life  is  short  let  us  learn  that  every  moment 
of  it  must  hejilled.  The  two  greatest  enemies  to  the  right 
use  of  our  time  are  idleness  and  purposelessness.  When 
under  the  power  of  the  one  we  do  nothing ;  when  under 
the  power  of  the  other  we  do  nothing  useful.  Now  both 
idleness  and  waste  of  time  are  terribly  common.  But 
for  them  both  we  may  be  delivered  by  a  deeper  con- 
sciousness of  God,  and  of  our  accountability  to  Him. 
Under  the  guidance  of  His  Spirit  we  may  occupy  every 
moment,  and  hallow  our  whole  life  by  a  holy  intention. 

That  we  may  do  this,  several  things  are  necessary. 

The  first  of  these  is  that  we  begin  the  day  with  God. 
The  importance  of  the  "  Morning  Watch  '^  cannot  be  over- 
estimated. We  have  to  pray  with  the  Psalmist,  "  Cause 
me  to  hear  Thy  lovingkindness  in  the  morning"  (Psa. 
cxliii.  8),  if  we  would  occupy  the  day  well. 

The  second  is  that  through  the  whole  day  we  seek  the 
direction  of  God.  It  is  not  in  man  that  walketh  to  direct 
his  steps  ;  and  the  day  is  lost  in  which  we  seek  to  do  our 
own  will.  This  was  what  the  holy  men  of  old  felt  when 
they  prayed  so  earnestly :  ^^  Cause  me  to  know  the  way 
in  which  I  should  walk,  hold  up  my  goings  in  Thy 
paths"  (Psa.  cxliii.  8). 

A  third  necessary  thing  for  a  redeemed  day  is  the 
Divine  protection.  We  are  surrounded  with  enemies 
who  will  entrap  us  and  draw  us  away  from  God.  We 
need  all  the  day  to  be  hid  under  the  shelter  of  God's  wing. 


THE  CUraSTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  41 

And  the  fourth  tiling  necessary  is  Divine  empower- 
ment. When  we  know  God's  will  we  must  be  taught  to 
do  it.  We  must  not  only  be  shown  the  path,  but  led  in 
it.  But  if  we  are  Divinely  directed,  Divinely  protected. 
Divinely  empowered,  and  if  from  morning  to  night  we 
carry  with  us  the  consciousness  of  God,  then  will  our 
days  be  redeemed.  We  shall  abide  in  Christ,  we  shall 
abound  in  good  works,  and  when  He  shall  appear,  we, 
by  His  grace,  shall  have  confidence  and  not  be  ashamed 
before  Him  at  His  coming. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  ASPIRATION  AFTER  A  SENSE  OF  DIVINE  GUIDANCE. 

"Cause  me  to  know  the  way  wherein  I  should  walk"  (Psa. 
cxliii.  8). 

In  every  Christian's  heart  there  is  a  deep  desire  to  do 
the  will  of  God.  It  is  of  the  very  essence  of  regeneration 
that  it  implants  within  the  soul  a  principle  of  life,  which 
finds  its  supreme  delight  in  the  will  of  God.  But  with 
the  desire  to  do  the  will  of  God  there  comes  the  desire  to 
know  it,  and  thus  the  question  of  guidance  becomes  one 
of  the  most  practical  of  the  Christian  life.  "  I  am  per- 
fectly willing,"  cries  one,  "  to  do  the  will  of  God,  but  my 
difficulty  is  in  knowing  in  particular  cases  what  God's 
will  for  me  is." 

That  we  may  receive  guidance  is  beyond  doubt.  The 
promises  on  this  subject  are  innumerable.  Our  God 
takes  upon  Him  the  name  of  Shepherd ;  but  one  of  the 
first  duties  of  the  shepherd  is  to  guide  his  sheep.  In  the 
thirty-second  Psalm  God  promises,  *^I  will  guide  thee 


42  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

with  Mine  eye."  In  the  forty-eighth  Psalm  we  read, 
^'  This  God  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever :  He  will  be  our 
guide  even  unto  death."  Isaiah  gives  us  the  promise, 
"  The  Lord  shall  guide  thee  continually,"  and  Zecharias 
tells  us  that  one  of  the  objects  of  the  advent  of  Christ 
was  that  He  might  "  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace." 
Without  question,  we  may  receive  guidance  from  God  as 
to  His  will. 

But  ere  we  go  further  it  may  be  well  to  recall  the 
conditions  of  guidance.  They  are  set  before  us  in  the 
twenty-third  Psalm.  To  be  guided  we  must  first  of  all 
be  among  the  Lord's  sheep.  It  is  those  who  willingly 
follow  the  Shepherd  whom  He  is  able  to  lead.  If  we 
know  not  the  Shepherd,  in  guidance  we  have  neither 
part  nor  lot.  Then  if  we  are  to  be  guided,  we  must 
know  something  of  rest  of  soul  It  is  after  He  has  made 
His  sheep  to  lie  down,  that  the  Shepherd  leads  them  by 
the  waters  of  rest.  To  worry  about  guidance  is  the 
surest  way  to  lose  it.  Here  is  the  secret  of  the  failure 
of  many  of  God's  children  to  hear  His  voice.  Let  us  be 
at  rest,  let  us  be  sure  that  the  guidance  will  be  given. 
Then  we  shall  be  in  the  best  possible  condition  to  receive 
it  when  it  comes. 

And  notice  very  carefully,  it  may  be  given  without 
our  being  at  all  sensible  of  it.  We  must  distinguish 
between  guidance  and  sensible  guidance.  If  we  are  the 
Lord's  people,  and  honestly  commit  our  way  to  Him,  we 
shall  be  guided.  But  we  may  have  no  comfortable  sense 
of  it.  We  may  lay  our  case  before  God  in  all  sincerity. 
We  may  ask  Him  to  make  His  will  clear  to  us,  and  may 
be  perfectly  whole-hearted  in  our  determination  to  do 
it  when  it  is  made  clear  to  us.  Yet  God  may  leave  us, 
even  at  critical  moments  in  our  life's  history,  without 


TBE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  43 

the  smallest  gleam  of  the  light  we  perhaps  imagined 
would  come. 

In  such  circumstances,  how  are  we  to  act  ?  Surely  in 
faith.  God  has  promised  to  guide  us ;  we  have  asked 
Him  to  guide  us ;  we  are  honestly  desirous  of  doing  His 
will;  it  is  therefore  our  duty  to  believe  that  He  does 
guide  us,  even  when  we  do  not  feel  His  guidance.  We 
act  to  the  best  of  our  judgment,  and  we  have  the  right 
to  believe  that  behind  our  judgment  there  is  the  Spirit 
of  our  Father,  leading  us  according  to  our  prayer  to  do 
our  Father's  will. 

But  we  may  not  only  receive  guidance,  but  be  sensible 
of  it.  This  adds  immensely  to  our  comfort.  When 
feeling  reinforces  faith,  we  act  more  joyfully.  The 
Israelites  of  old  were  not  only  guided,  but  guided  by 
the  pillar  of  cloud  and  fire.  God  was  with  them,  and 
they  knew  it.  Now,  what  do  we  read  in  Isaiah  xxx.  21  ? 
"  Thine  ears  shall  hear  a  word  behind  thee,  saying,  This 
is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it,  when  ye  turn  to  the  right  hand, 
and  when  ye  turn  to  the  left."  Here  there  is  promised 
not  only  guidance,  but  the  sense  of  it.  The  word  is  to 
be  heard  at  each  turning-point  of  the  way,  discovering 
the  path  of  the  Divine  will.  Now,  what  was  contained 
in  this  promise  of  the  prophet  is  certainly  contained  in 
the  promise  of  our  Lord  regarding  the  Holy  Spirit.  He 
is  to  be  our  guide,  making  known  to  us  our  Father's 

wm. 

The  conditions  on  which  we  receive  this  sensible 
guidance  are  these:  — 

(1)  If  we  would  have  sensible  guidance,  tee  must  ask 
for  it.  There  must  be  on  our  part  the  recognition  that 
we  cannot  guide  ourselves.  This  is  part  of  that  spirit 
of  humility  which  is  so  essential  at  every  stage  of  the 


44  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

spiritual  life.  It  is  the  meek  that  God  has  promised  to 
guide  in  judgment ;  it  is  the  meek  to  whom  He  has  prom- 
ised to  teach  His  way.  But  this  meekness  means  the 
spirit  that  distrusts  its  own  wisdom,  and  looks  up  to  God 
in  prayer.  The  explanation  of  the  lack  of  sensible  guid- 
ance in  some  lives  is  that  they  have  never  really  asked 
for  it. 

(2)  If  we  would  have  sensible  guidance,  ive  must  wait 
for  it.  To  ask,  but  not  to  wait,  betokens  insincerity  in 
the  asking.  When  we  pray  God  to  guide  us,  we  put  the 
matter  at  issue  out  of  our  hands  into  His ;  when  we  act 
without  waiting  for  guidance,  we  take  it  out  of  God's 
hands  into  our  own.  It  were  better  not  to  ask  for  guid- 
ance at  all,  than,  having  asked,  to  act  without  waiting 
for  it.  To  wait  may  be  exquisitely  trying,  but  it  must 
be  done.  This  is  one  of  the  great  lessons  that  we  learn 
from  the  life  of  Elijah.  He  waited  at  the  brook  Cherith 
until  it  was  dry,  and  did  not  move  until  the  word  of  the 
Lord  came  to  him.  Meekness,  to  which  the  promise  of 
guidance  is  made,  involves  patience  as  well  as  humility. 

(3)  If  we  would  have  God's  guidance,  we  must  be  ready 
to  act  on  it  witliout  questioning,  the  moment  it  is  given. 
God  will  not  guide  a  disobedient  child,  or  one  who  has 
the  slightest  intention  of  being  disobedient.  If  we  ask 
God  for  guidance,  and  when  he  gives  it  to  us  refuse  to 
follow  it,  we  become  incapable  of  hearing  God's  voice 
until  we  have  confessed  our  sin,  and  received  cleansing. 
For  God  usually  guides  by  whispers,  and  those  who  would 
be  guided  by  Him  must  keep  near  Him. 

When  our  Father  means  to  give  us  very  clear  indica- 
tions of  His  will.  He  very  often  makes  these  three  things 
to  occur  —  His  Spirit,  His  Word,  and  His  Providence. 
There  arises  within  us  a  conviction  that  a  certain  course 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  45 

is  the  right  one  for  us  to  take ;  then  we  find  through  the 
Word  some  confirmation  of  this  feeling,  and  straightway 
God's  providence  almost  shuts  us  up  to  this  course.  It 
is  very  delightful  when  this  happens.  It  would  happen 
much  more  frequently  were  we  living  nearer  God  than 
we  are. 

Let  us  give  ourselves  up  to  be  filled  and  controlled  by 
the  Spirit.  Let  us  walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  He  will  lead 
us  only  in  the  paths  of  God's  will. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   ASPIRATION   AFTER   THE    POWER   TO   WAIT. 

The  value  of  the  grace  of  patience  in  the  spiritual  life 
is  universally  recognized.  A  high  place  is  given  to  it  in 
Scripture,  and  a  high  place  has  always  been  assigned  to 
it  in  the  esteem  of  Christian  people.  Now,  this  grace  of 
patience  has  two  elements  in  it.  The  first  is  poiue^"  to 
endurey  and  the  second  is  power  to  icait.  The  one  has  a 
relation  to  suffering,  the  other  a  relation  to  time.  The 
two  elements  are  separable  in  thought  and  experience, 
some  who  have  the  one  being  conspicuously  lacking  in 
the  other.  It  is  with  the  second  of  these  that  we  have 
now  to  do. 

The  Word  of  God  sets  a  high  value  on  patience  in  the 
sense  of  power  to  wait.  It  often  exhorts  to  it :  "  Eest  in 
the  Lord,  and  wait  patiently  for  Him,"  cries  one  (Psa. 
xxxvii.  7) ;  "The  Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment,  blessed  are 
all  they  that  wait  for  Him,"  says  another  (Isa.  xxx.  18)  ; 
while  a  third  says,  "  It  is  good  that  a  man  both  hope  and 
quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of  the  Lord"  (Lam.  iii.  26). 


46  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS, 

This  power  to  wait  may  be  lacking  in  a  character 
otherwise  strong  and  beautiful.  Scripture  supplies  us 
with  many  instances  of  the  lack  of  it,  and  of  the  mis- 
chief done  for  the  want  of  it.  It  might  almost  be  said 
that  the  very  fall  of  man  was  due  to  this.  Had  our  first 
mother  Eve  only  had  the  power  to  wait,  she  would  not 
have  snatched  at  that  knowledge  which  God  had  for  a 
time  denied  to  man.  Haste,  as  well  as  unbelief  and  self- 
will,  was  an  element  leading  to  that  sin  which 

"  Brought  death  into  the  world,  and  all  our  woe." 

In  Abraham  we  have  another  instance  of  the  same 
thing.  To  him  the  promise  of  God  was  given  that  he 
should  be  the  father  of  nations.  He  believed  God,  and 
his  faith  was  accounted  to  him  for  righteousness.  But, 
though  strong  in  faith,  he  was  lacking  in  patience.  So 
he  fell  in  with  the  plan  of  his  wife  Sarah  for  the  procur- 
ing of  a  seed,  and  laid  up  for  himself  and  his  wife  a 
heavy  store  of  family  trouble. 

The  same  impatience  appears  in  Rebekah  in  connection 
with  the  promise  made  to  her  favorite  son  Jacob.  Here 
the  results  were  even  more  disastrous  than  in  the  previ- 
ous case.  In  both  these  cases  we  have  a  faith  that  could 
lay  hold  on  the  Divine  promise,  without  the  patience 
which  could  wait  for  God  to  fulfil  His  promise  in  His 
own  way. 

I  believe  that  this  impatience  is  at  the  root  of  a  great 
deal  of  the  worldliness  in  the  Church  of  Christ  to-day, 
which  we  all  so  much  deplore.  Men  want  immediate 
results,  which  they  can  report  to  the  world.  They  are 
not  content  that  one  should  sow  and  another  reap.  They 
are  not  content  with  the  promise,  "  My  Word  shall  not 
return  to  Me  void."     They  want  visible  signs  of  success, 


TUE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  47 

ample  funds,  large  eommiinion  rolls,  crowded  churches. 
And  to  gain  these,  some  men  have  gone  to  the  theatre 
manager,  to  teach  them  how  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the 
Church  of  God. 

But  while  the  Bible  supplies  us  with  instances  of  the 
lack  of  this  grace,  it  also  supplies  us  with  notable  in- 
stances of  its  presence.  Perhaps  the  noblest  Old  Testa- 
ment case  is  that  of  David.  Here  was  a  man  to  whom 
God  had  promised. the  throne  of  Israel.  He  believed 
God.  He  knew  he  would  be  king  of  Israel.  But  he 
would  not  take  the  fulfilment  of  the  Divine  promise  into 
his  own  hands.  Twice,  at  Engedi  and  at  the  Hill  of 
Hachilah,  his  relentless  foe  lay  sleeping  under  the  edge 
of  his  sword,  but  he  would,  not  touch  him.  He  had  the 
power  to  wait.  He  knew  that  the  God  who  had  promised 
was  also  able  to  perform. 

But  the  supreme  example  is  our  Blessed  Lord  Him- 
self. There  are  few  things  about  the  life  of  our  Lord 
more  impressive  than  His  patience.  Was  there  ever  a 
life  where  there  was  such  temptation  to  haste?  The 
world  was  dying  around  Him.  He  spent  thirty  years  of 
His  life  on  earth  in  almost  complete  obscurity,  and  even 
when  He  began  His  work  in  public,  nothing  could  make 
Him  hurry.  When  at  Cana  His  mother  urges  Him  to 
act.  He  says,  "  My  hour  is  not  yet  come."  AVhen  Martha 
and  Mary  would  have  Him  haste  to  the  rescue  of  their 
brother.  He  abides  two  days  in  the  same  place.  Our 
Lord  Jesus  had  this  grace  of  waiting  in  absolute  x)erfec- 
tion. 

This  power  to  wait  has  its  roots  in  confidence  in  God. 
It  is  he  who  believeth,  who  shall  not  make  haste.  Now 
the  faith  that  gives  us  patience  is  a  twofold  faith.  It 
is,  first  of  all,  a  faith  in  God  as  a  God  of  love.     When 


48  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

we  are  quite  sure  of  this,  we  become  willing  to  wait, 
because  we  know  so  well  that  time  will  vindicate  God- 
In  patience  we  possess  our  souls.  Then  it  is  a  faith  in 
our  own  immortality.  We  know  that  God  will  not  only 
vindicate  Himself,  but  that  we  shall  see  it.  So  we  are 
kept  quiet. 

We  shall  now  seek  to  discover  what  will  be  the  atti- 
tude of  a  man's  mind  toward  God,  when  he  has  attained 
it  to  the  grace  of  patience  in  this  sense.  An  examina- 
tion of  the  various  words  used  for  "waiting"  throws 
light  on  this  point. 

When  a  man  truly  waits  for  God,  his  attitude  is  — 

(1)  An  attitude  of  Silence. 

In  many  places  in  our  Bible  the  words  "  Wait  on  the 
Lord,"  might  be  rendered  "Be  silent  unto  the  Lord." 
This  is  the  idea  presented  to  us  when  it  is  said,  "  It  is 
good  that  a  man  both  hope  and  quietly  wait  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  Lord"  (Lam.  iii.  26). 

(2)  An  attitude  of  Devotion. 

In  one  of  the  words  used  for  "  waiting,"  the  root  idea 
is  to  adhere.  This  is  the  word  used  in  that  beautiful 
passage,  Isa.  Ixiv.  4,  where  we  read  of  the  God,  "  Who 
worketh  for  Him  that  waiteth  for  Him." 

(3)  An  attitude  of  Watchfulness. 

He  who  is  waiting  for  God  to  work  will  have  his  eyes 
ever  towards  the  Lord,  that  he  may  catch  the  first  signs 
of  his  Father's  working.  He  will  eagerly  study  every 
revelation  God  has  given  of  his  purpose,  he  will  avail 
himself  of  every  help,  seeking  to  hold  himself  ready  to 
act  whenever  God  calls  him  to  be  a  fellow-worker. 

(4)  An  attitude  of  Intense  Desire. 

One  of  the  words  for  "  wait "  comes  from  a  root  that 
means  "to  writhe  as  in  pain."     This  shows  us  that  al- 


THE  CUEISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  49 

though  a  man  may  be  content  to  wait  until  God  acts,  he 
may  at  the  same  time  be  consumed  with  the  desire  that 
God  should  act  at  once.  He  may  feel  with  terrible 
keenness  the  need  of  Divine  interference,  and  may  cry 
out  for  it,  while  all  the  time  waiting  patiently. 

As  we  close  this  chapter,  let  us  notice  how  all  these 
characteristics  of  true  waiting  are  seen  in  connection 
with  the  great  hope  of  the  Church  —  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  For  that  we  are  looking.  For  that 
we  are  waiting.  And  as  we  wait,  what  is,  or  ought  to 
be,  our  attitude?  Surely  one  of  silence,  as  of  those 
who  are  listening  for  the  footsteps  of  the  returning  Lord. 
Surely  one  of  devotion,  as  of  those  who  desire  to  abide 
in  Him,  that  when  He  shall  appear  they  may  have  con- 
fidence, and  not  be  ashamed  before  Him  at  His  coming. 
Surely  one  of  watchfulness.  Has  not  the  Lord  bidden 
us  watch?  And  will  not  obedience  to  His  command 
lead  us  to  treasure  and  study  every  hint  He  has  given 
as  to  the  time  when  His  return  may  be  expected  ?  And, 
finally,  one  of  intense  desire,  as  of  those  who  have  heard 
the  Master  say,  "  Behold,  I  come  quickly  " ;  and  answer 
back  with  gladness,  "  Amen,  even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   ASPIRATION    AFTER   A    COMPLETE   LIFE. 

"Ye  are  complete  in  Him"  (Col.  ii.  10). 

What  a  glorious  fulness  of  being  there  is  in  our  God ! 

He  is  always  full-orbed.  He  is  infinite,  eternal,  and  un- 
changeable in  His  being,  wisdom,  power,  holiness,  jus- 
tice, goodness,  and  truth.     And  the  longing  for  fulness 


60  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATION S. 

of  life,  which  is  found  in  every  true  Christian,  is  the 
mark  of  his  Divine  lineage.  It  is  because  man  is  so 
great,  and  has  been  made  in  the  likeness  of  God,  and  by- 
regeneration  become  a  partaker  of  the  Divine  nature,  that 
he  so  cries  out  against  the  things  which  narrow  and  cramp 
his  life.  He  who  has  tasted  what  communion  with  God 
means,  longs  to  know  what  is  "  the  fulness  of  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Gospel  of  Christ."  We  shall  now  mention 
some  of  the  elements  that  enter  into  the  life  of  fulness 
of  blessing,  and  then  indicate  in  a  word  or  two  the  path 
which  leads  to  this  fulness. 

(1)  In  the  complete  life  there  is,  first  of  all,  a  fulness 
of  Faith. 

This  is  the  foundation  grace.  He  that  cometh  unto 
God  must  believe.  Until  there  is  faith,  there  is  no  spir- 
itual life  at  all. 

Look  at  the  case  of  Abraham.  Of  him  the  Scripture 
expressly  says  that  he  died  in  a  good  old  age,  an  old 
man,  and  full.  In  his  case  the  aspiration  we  are  dealing 
with  had  been  fulfilled.  He  had  lived  to  have  a  com- 
plete life.  But  what  was  the  foundation  of  Abraham's 
life  ?  Was  it  not  faith  ?  He  was  the  father  of  the 
faithful.  He  was  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God. 
It  was  the  greatness  of  Abraham's  faith  that  made  it 
possible  for  God  to  raise  on  it  a  character  of  such  strength 
and  beauty.  If  we  would  have  a  complete  life,  let  us 
pray  daily,  "^^Lord,  increase  our  faith." 

(2)  In  a  complete  life  there  is  a  fulness  of  Light.  He 
to  whom  the  fulness  of  the  blessing  has  come  has  his 
eye  single,  and  therefore  his  whole  body  is  full  of  light. 
He  is  by  the  Spirit  of  God  led  into  the  knowledge  of 
God.  God's  Word  is  to  him  an  open  book,  and  he  has 
an  increasing  knowledge   of,   and  sympathy  with,  the 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  51 

plans  and  purposes  of  his  Father  in  heaven.  Along 
with  this  he  finds  himself  in  possession  of  a  wonderful 
knowledge  of  God's  will.  He  knows  by  a  Divine  leading 
what  God  would  have  him  be,  and  by  the  impartation  of 
Divine  wisdom  how  God  would  have  him  do  it.  To  live 
thus  in  the  light,  to  be  thus  freed  from  perplexity  and 
doubt,  is  one  of  the  highest  privileges  of  the  life  of 
fulness  of  blessing. 

(3)  In  a  complete  life  there  is  a  fulness  of  Patience. 
How  remarkably  this  was  manifested  in  the  life  of 

Abraham  !  He  had  the  grace  of  jjatience  in  its  two 
forms  —  he  had  the  power  to  suffer,  and  the  power  to 
wait.  How  severely  his  patience  was  tried  ■  God  made 
many  promises  to  Abraham,  but  Abraham  must  have 
thought  God  took  long  to  fulfil  them.  Think  what  a 
trial  of  patience  the  continued  barrenness  of  Sarah  must 
have  been.  It  was  such  a  trial  that  the  j)atience  of 
Abraham  at  last  gave  way  under  it,  and  in  the  matter 
of  Hagar  he  tried  to  take  the  fulfilling  of  the  Divine 
promises  into  his  own  hands.  Now,  where  the  life  is 
full  of  blessing,  the  Spirit  of  God  works  such  confidence 
in  our  God  that  we  possess  a  patience  entirely  super- 
natural. 

(4)  In  a  complete  life  there  is  a  fulness  of  Grace. 

He  who  has  entered  into  fulness  of  blessing  has  a 
courtesy  and  gentleness,  a  humility  and  tenderness,  about 
him  which  is  most  attractive.  There  is  a  wonderful 
civilizing  and  ennobling  power  about  the  grace  of  God. 
When  it  takes  possession  of  a  man,  it  greatly  modifies, 
if  it  does  not  remove,  the  roughnesses  and  rudenesses 
of  his  character.  It  clothes  him  in  the  beauty  of  the 
Lord.  It  gives  him  that  consideration  for  others,  which 
is  the  very  foundation  of  good  breeding.     In  all  the  great 


62  THE  CHBISTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS. 

saints  this  graciousness  is  found.  We  find  it  in  Abra- 
ham's treatment  of  the  children  of  Heth,  in  David's 
treatment  of  Saul,  and  it  is  conspicuous  in  every  action 
of  the  life  of  Paul  the  Apostle.  And  these  were  only 
followers  of  Him  in  whom  all  true  grace  of  character 
was  found  in  absolute  perfection. 

(5)  In  a  complete  life  there  is  a  wonderful  fulness  of 
Brotherly  Love.  This  is  a  grace  of  superlative  impor- 
tance. He  who  has  not  learned  to  love  the  brethren 
with  a  pure  heart  fervently  has  yet  to  learn  what  the 
fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  is.  He  whose 
religion  does  not  make  him  kinder,  more  loving,  more 
willing  to  do  helpful  things,  had  better  give  his  religion 
up,  for  it  is  certainly  not  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ. 
To  this  grace  of  kindness  and  helpfulness,  our  Lord  at- 
taches such  importance  that  in  the  great  parable  of  the 
Sheep  and  the  Goats  He  has  made  the  want  of  it 
the  cause  of  banishment  from  the  presence  of  God  into 
the  everlasting  fire. 

(6)  But  the  crowning  grace  of  the  life  of  blessing  is 
that  which  again  and  again  in  the  New  Testament  is 
called  Love. 

We  are  told  that  the  three  chief  graces  of  the  Chris- 
tian character  are  faith,  hope,  love;  and  the  greatest 
of  these  is  love.  Now  what  is  this  love  which  is  the 
copestone  of  the  temple  of  Christian  character  ?  I  think 
it  is  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul.  It  is  what  our  Lord 
spoke  of  when  He  said,  "  If  a  man  love  Me,  he  will  keep 
My  words,  and  My  Father  will  love  him,  and  We  will 
come  unto  him,  and  make  Our  abode  with  him."  The 
fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  the 
fulness  of  the  Holy  S])irit.  The  complete  life  for  which 
we  are  longing  is  the  life  filled  with  God.     He  who  is 


THE  CnitlSTIAN'S  ASPIRATIONS.  53 

filled  with  God  is  filled  with  love.  For  what  saith  the 
Apostle  ?  "  God  is  love :  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love 
dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him  "  (1  John  iv.  16). 

Such  is  the  complete  life  after  which  we  are  longing. 
A  word  or  two  as  to  the  path  that  leads  to  it. 

If  we  study  the  life  of  Abraham,  we  shall  find  that 
the  path  to  fulness  is  through  a  process  of  einptying.  Of 
Abraham  we  read  that  he  died  an  old  man,  and  full. 
But  look  at  the  way  God  had  to  lead  that  man  before 
this  could  be  written  of  him.  He  had  first  to  separate 
him  from  home  and  kindred,  and  send  him  out  a  stranger 
upon  the  earth.  Then  He  had,  in  connection  with  the 
strife  with  Lot,  to  separate  him  from  the  love  of  earthly 
riches;  then  He  had  to  wean  him  from  all  self-will  in 
the  manner  of  fulfilling  His  promises.  And  at  last  He 
had  to  wean  him  from  God's  best  gifts.  When  Abraham 
laid  Isaac  on  the  altar,  and  raised  the  knife  that  was  to 
make  his  life  an  utter  desolation ;  when  he  was  cut  off 
from  everything  on  earth,  and  driven  back  on  God  alone, 
when  he  was  thoroughly  emptied,  then  it  was  that  God 
poured  into  his  life  the  very  fullest  blessing  God  Himself 
could  give,  "  By  Myself  have  I  sworn,  because  thou  hast 
done  this  thing,  that  in  blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  and  in 
thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed." 

By  the  same  path  of  utter  emptying  must  we  reach 
the  life  of  fulness.  If  God  comes  to  strip  us  of  all  that 
makes  life  rich,  let  us  not  shrink  from  His  hand.  For 
the  hand  that  empties  is  the  hand  that  will  fill  unto  all 
the  fulness  of  God. 

"  Take  us,  Lord,  oh,  take  us  truly, 

Mind,  and  heart,  and  soul,  and  will ; 
Empty  us  and  cleanse  us  throughly, 
Then  with  all  Thy  fulness  fill." 


I'lll    /j'',''°'°9ic.il  Semmary-Speer 


1    1012  01004  5948 


